Being Human
by HarunoRin
Summary: AU A Vampire a Werewolf and a Ghost share a house in Bristol. Ichigo Rukia and Ishida are an argumentative group, but they find out the true meaning of humanity together. IchiRuki IshiHime. WARNING may contain Britishness. COMPLETE FOR NOW
1. Prologue and Tea

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* * *

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Being Human

_A Vampire a Werewolf and a Ghost all share a house in Bristol._

_Based on the BBC's comedy drama titled "Being Human" but really a stand alone thing._

_For the purpose of this story, please forget everything you know about the characters' respective histories and backgrounds, 'cause they're all different. It's AU, obviously._

_And if you watched Being Human, please message me! I loved it so much ha-ha_

**Standard dislaimer applies!**

* * *

Loud footsteps thudded down the wooden stairs. "Who left their bloody tea in the bathroom?!" A dark haired young man accused his housemates. "I could've burned myself!"

"Calm down." A petite dark haired girl sighed, breezing past him and into the kitchen. "Anybody want some tea?"

"And always with the bloody tea!" Ishida threw his hands up into the air and glared at the girl's back. "You make so much tea and never drink any of it!"

"It's my routine." She reasoned. "I used to make tea for my brother, so not making it seems... lazy."

"But... you... don't... drink it!"

Rukia turned and placed the cup in his hand. "But you do."

"That's not the point!" Ishida grunted. "You make too much tea for me to drink, and then when I want tea, I can't make it caused you've used all the bloody teabags!"

"You could reuse them."

"That's disgusting! Who would reuse teabags?!"

"Oi!" a hand pushed into Ishida's back, causing him to drop the cup of tea and glare accusingly at his attacker.

"Oh that's brilliant. One less cup to make my own tea in. Fabulous." Ishida muttered, his voice heavy with thinly disguised sarcasm. "Why do I bother?"

Ichigo scowled. "What's wrong with reusing teabags? I do."

"My point exactly." Ishida muttered, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Who'd want to develop the habits of a cretin with ridiculous hair."

Rukia smirked and jumped down. Ichigo turned to her with his eyebrows furrowed. "Where're you going, midget?"

Rukia glared at him. "If I could hit you..." She aimed a kick to prove her point, but her foot passed through his body with just the sensation of ice to let him know she was there. "I would so kick your ass."

"Keep dreaming." Ichigo scoffed. "Even when I'm in spirit form you wouldn't be able to hit me."

"Want a bet?"

"Bring it." Ichigo grinned, but as she brought out her red glove, his eyes widened. "Hey... I didn't mean now!"

"I did!"

"But I've got work!"

"Whine to somebody who cares, bastard!"

Ichigo set off at a run, but as he wheeled around the doorframe, the petite spirit stepped through the wall with a satisfied smirk, reaching out and grabbing hold of his hair, pulling his soul from his body and kicking him squarely in the jaw.

"Ok." She smirked. "You can go to work now." She picked up the plastic bag from inside the kitchen bin and began to tie it, as Ishida watched her.

"How come you can touch inanimate objects now then? This past week you've been doing loads but the week before you couldn't touch anything."

Rukia looked up. "I think it's being around you; the combined power of you two probably makes me stronger."

She grinned. "I can make tea!"

Ishida winced, pushing his glasses up his nose. "If I had to sacrifice my powers to stop you messing around then it would be a small price to pay for the chance to make my own tea."

"Oh you." Rukia teased, taking the bin bag outside as Ichigo stood up, body and spirit now united.

"I hate that bitch." Ichigo growled. "Out of all the houses in the country, how did we end up renting the one with a nasty ghost bitch?"

Ishida turned and sighed. "I suppose you could call it fate. A Vampire and a Werewolf move into a house in Bristol... of course they'll end up with a ghost. Bad things come in threes."

"Isn't that good things?"

"I think it's probably both."

"Whatever. Help me steal that bloody glove off of her."

Ishida looked out of the window at the small dark girl lifting the lid of the wheelie bin. "At least you know you still have a soul."

His orange haired friend looked up. "You want her to try it on you?"

"No." Ishida sighed. "I'd rather not know... in case I don't."

"If I do then the odds are..."

"You won't believe what just happened!" Rukia said, running through the door, causing Ichigo to jump backwards and fall over one of the chairs.

"ARGH!"

Ishida moved to help him up but Rukia batted at his hand, causing him to rub his hands together at the chill. "He'll be fine. Guess what?"

"Teapot." Ichigo muttered.

Rukia glared. "Don't be childish."

"Says the midget."

"As the dustbin lorry went past one of the dustbin men called me a slag!" She grinned triumphantly as the two males exchanged one long glance.

"Rukia..." Ishida started as though talking to a child. "... That's not a good-..."

"How long ago did you die, idiot? You're pleased that someone called you a slag?" He looked her up and down. "You really shouldn't go out in shorts and sports bra at this time of year, even if you're wearing a dressing gown."

Rukia frowned at the two of them. "Are you absolutely thick?" She said, with a knowing glint in her violet eyes. "The point is that he saw me!"

"...OH!" Ichigo gasped, and Ishida rolled his eyes. "Then that _is_ good!"

"I know!" Rukia grinned. "I wonder if that means everyone can see me now. Maybe I'll be able to touch people soon..."

Ishida frowned, realising where this was going. "No."

"No what?"

"You will not show yourself to Kaien or your family."

Rukia glared at him. "Why not?"

"Because you died, Rukia. You can't do that to them."

"Why not?"

"Because they need to move on." Ishida said flatly, and Ichigo nodded.

"He's right. It may seem horrible for you but they're alive, so it's better to let them live."

Rukia stepped back. "But... I can't move on! Why should they? That's not... not fair is it? That's really... really... cruel."

"...I know."

"I was engaged." She continued. "I never even got to be married."

"I know."

"We were moving in together!"

Ichigo stood up. "I do have to go to work... but we'll talk about this when I get back okay?" He sighed and looked to Ishida. "Come on."

"Yeah." Ishida said, following Ichigo out of the house as Rukia fell to her knees beside the sofa.

The two men stepped out and locked the front door. Ichigo pocketed the keys and breathed out heavily. "A Vampire, a Werewolf and a Ghost all share a house in Bristol..." He laughed. "And the Vampire and the Werewolf work at a hospital."

Ishida smirked. "Crazy right?"

"Insane." Ichigo agreed. "You coming out for a drink tonight?"

Ishida glanced at Ichigo pointedly. "Isn't it a full moon tonight?"

Ichigo's face darkened. "... Oh yeah."

"I'll see you in the morning though." Ishida said.

Ichigo nodded. "I shouldn't have promised Rukia that we'd talk when I get back..."

"I think she realised." Ishida sighed. "Even without your furry little problem you're hardly the most sensitive young man."

"And you are? Dirty bloodsucker."

"Hmm." Ishida sighed. "It's hard for me too."

Ichigo nodded. "We won't hurt anyone." He said. "As long as we're careful."

"We're only human." Ishida said, as they reached the hospital door. Ichigo turned to him and smirked, backing away down a corridor as Ishida turned to head down the opposite way.

Above the early morning bustle of reception, Ishida heard Ichigo's shouted reply.

"You sure about that?"

* * *

Ishida walked towards the A&E department, ignoring his aching throat with a will of iron.

Ichigo patrolled paediatrics, mind lost as he contemplated the safest place to lock himself up tonight.

Rukia sat in the lounge, desperately looking out of the window, thinking of the day she died.

If only it was easier.

If only we were just human.

* * *

Not too far away, a girl was stood beneath a tree, looking at the memorial plate.

"Gone but not forgotten?" She scoffed, kicking the tree. "Who's gone damn it? I'm right here!"

"Orihime."

The girl turned and glared at the man beside her. "I..."

"You're not supposed to be here, what if someone saw you?"

"I..."

"You're being awfully mutinous. I know it's hard but at the rate you're goin I'll be forced to consider you a liability."

"Sorry." Orihime bowed her head. "But my friends..."

"Are no longer your concern. You're part of this clan now."

"...I know."

The man sighed. "If you want to have your revenge I won't stop you, but don't endanger us."

Orihime looked up. "You mean..."

"Have your fun. After all, you resent him for doing this to you right?"

"Of course."

"Taking you away from those you loved..."

"Yes."

"Persuade him to rejoin us, and if he refuses, do what you want."

Orihime smiled, and it was beautiful, even her companion had to blink. But her eyes, once so full of wonder and warmth, were now hard and cold. "Thank you."

Her sharp teeth glittered in the sunlight.

* * *

**The prologue to what will be a multi chaptered story =D**

**My FMA fic is on hiatus due to writers block but will be resumed this summer as I hate having unfinished stories.**

**REVIEWWWWWWWW**


	2. Life stories and more Tea

**Being Human**

_In this chapter I'm going to show a little bit of back story along with storyline, so keep alert XD_

**For those interested (and on Twitter) my username is KathHeubeck I am fast becoming addicted**

_This chapter did end up with more Ishida than I intended, but I'm showing the dealio with Orihime and giving some of his back story._

_Unfortunately, Ichigo in no way resembles George from the BBC series, who I fell in love with xD so we won't get the fantastically painful awkwardness when he talks to people or the jittery nervousness... though I might transfer that quality to Ishida..._

* * *

Rukia was sat on the sofa, but turned, staring at the staircase, which was bare wood, neatly sanded (by herself during life) and the slight stain in one corner that wouldn't quite come out, no matter what anyone did to it.

I was a smallish stain, and brownish. It might be a natural discolouration of the wood, or some food product spilled by her or Kaien during their short stay.

It wasn't there when they bought the place together.

It wasn't there when she was unpacking.

It wasn't there before she tangled her feet in something and fell... or before she hit her head against the wall (which Kaien had since wallpapered, but there was probably a stain there too) or before she had hit her head one final time on that very step, as her neck twisted violently and-

_Knock, knock._

Rukia's head whipped round, and she moved slightly to see who the visitor was.

She fell off the chair in surprise.

_Kaien!_

"K..." She started, but choked on her own words, just staring at him through the window. He was wearing the shirt she'd bought him a while ago.

_He said he didn't like it, it wasn't his colour._

In hindsight, of course, he was right (as always) Lime Green did not suit him.

_But he's wearing it anyway._

Her heart swelled and she found the strength to stand, just as a hastily scrawled note came under the door, and Kaien walked away.

Rukia put a hand against the window, forming condensation as she sighed. "Oh... Kaien."

* * *

Ishida loosened his collar slightly and smiled encouragingly at the patient. "Not to worry, sir. We've topped up the blood you lost and used stitches with a bit of Clotting Factor to help seal the wound, but you should be more careful as a haemophiliac."

The man nodded wearily and laid back.

Ishida winced as some more blood seeped through the gauze. "Nurse, you can deal with this now." He strode away, ignoring the whispered "Never mind doctor know-it-all." And rushed to the men's toilet.

"Bloody Hell why's it so hard today?" He muttered, rinsing his hands and throwing water over his face. Supporting himself on the sides of the sink, he breathed heavily to regain some composure, before looking up at the mirror and gasping in horror. "What..."

Cold eyes narrowed. "What am I doing here?"

Ishida turned to face the person behind him. "You followed me."

"You need us." Aizen smiled. "You need the clan."

"I don't."

"To clean up your mess?" Aizen smirked as Ishida paled; he'd struck a nerve. "Such a pretty thing, too. Not bright... but a valuable addition to the clan... if only for something to look at."

"You-!" Ishida was slammed against the wall, with Aizen's hand over his mouth.

"Nice set-up here, haven't you? Your medical certificate used to help our... supply a great deal; some of the group are quite unsettled with you gone."

Ishida forced Aizen's hand away. "Still parading the streets in costume, I see." He spat.

Aizen looked down at his policeman's uniform. "This old thing?" He laughed. "It helps."

"Don't touch the patients." Ishida warned. "Or else I'll..."

"...What? Come on Ishida, rip me to pieces? Or will that destroy your new... human fantasy?"

"It's not a fantasy."

"Oh? You don't feel the urge to drain the blood from every patient? You don't feel the desire to have that hot warm liquid run down your throat? You're far from human, my friend. How long will you keep up this little... rebellion of yours?"

Aizen sighed regretfully, turning to leave when Ishida called out. "Tell Orihime..." Aizen looked back.

"Hmm?"

"Tell her that... I'm so deeply sorry for what I did to her."

Aizen laughed, and left Ishida with a freshly burning need in his throat.

* * *

Rukia looked up as the door opened, slamming against the wall hard as Ichigo strode in at a furious pace. "Ichigo?"

He turned to look at her and Ishida, who had taken sick leave from work, and growled. "Renovation." Before storming into the living room. "I can't use the cellar anymore because they're renovating it... Security cameras and..." He looked up. "About half an hour until moonrise."

Ishida jumped to action instantly, pushing the TV into the kitchen. "Help me get all breakables out Rukia." He said as Ichigo grunted in obvious pain, clutching at his abdomen. Rukia stared at him.

"Ichi..."

"RUKIA!" Ishida shouted, "We have to secure him!"

"What?"

"Keep him locked up."

"The bedroom!" Rukia shouted. "He can stay in the spare bedroom!"

"It's not spare anymore, it's Ichigo's room." Ishida frowned "And besides, there's a window."

"Move a wardrobe to cover it then! There are windows in all the rooms!" Ishida nodded and ran upstairs as Rukia stepped closer to Ichigo. "Ichigo... come on... we need to get you upstairs..."

Ichigo scoffed. "I'm in pain, not deaf, midget."

"Carrot top."

"Dead Bitch!"

"Strawberry wolf!"

Ichigo blinked, and smiled. "What the hell?" He asked incredulously, before scowling and doubling over in pain.

Rukia put a hand on his stomach, half sunken into his body as her spirit form failed to make contact. "Get upstairs."

They struggled up, and Ichigo flung himself into the room, which was dark save a small lamp in the corner. Ishida turned to Rukia. "I need you to push the bed against the door to stop him getting out."

Rukia glared at him. "Are you so afraid that you'd lock your friend up to save your own skin?"

Ishida looked at her seriously. "I'm afraid of what he'll do to himself if he finds out he hurt anyone while in that form, be they human or otherwise."

Rukia said nothing, but stepped through the closed door and began to push at the bed, trying to ignore her companion's laboured, erratic breathing.

"Come on..." She muttered, pushing with her back to the bed as it slid across the floorboards until it reinforced the door. She sighed and went to go back through the door, but turned suddenly as Ichigo howled.

That howl was like nothing she had heard before.

And his body... joints popped and bones stretched as his form became more hunched and his face began to lengthen.

_My God..._

His hair rippled as though caught in the wind, and turned white. After several agonising minutes, a white wolf with yellow eyes was crouched to the floor, nose creased in a heavy growl.

"Rukia? Rukia!" Ishida called, and though she knew she couldn't die, though she knew he couldn't touch her...

Suddenly every word the two men had said about being a monster... suddenly she understood.

And as the wolf sprung for an attack, she screamed.

* * *

Ishida and Rukia sat downstairs at the kitchen table with their eyes closed, Ishida's fingers steeped together as they listened to the noises from above.

"Is he..." Rukia swallowed. "Is he like that every month?"

Ishida nodded.

"How long has he been like that?"

"I'll let him tell you himself." Ishida said, and Rukia got up abruptly, moving to the kettle to make yet another cup of tea. "What about you?"

"What _about_ me?"

"How long." Ishida kept his eyes closed but he heard Rukia's sudden movement, knocking over the tea cup. "You're cleaning that up."

"I know."

"It can't have been long. If your fiancée is our landlord." He said coolly, and Rukia sighed.

"A year ago. You?"

Ishida smirked. "Many years ago." Rukia laughed.

"Evading the question?"

"We can talk about this when Ichigo's down. He'd probably appreciate being involved." Ishida sighed and Rukia looked away. "But why didn't you pass on?"

"There wasn't anywhere to go. No light, no nothing."

_BANG_

The pair jumped and laughed nervously. "Will he be okay for work tomorrow?" Rukia asked, setting a cup of tea down in front of Ishida, who glared at it.

"I think so. It varies depending on how badly he hurts himself."

"Hurts himself?" She gasped.

Ishida nodded. "He's throwing himself against walls... he heals faster in that form, but he can still end up in bad shape."

"Poor guy."

"Hm."

Rukia was silent for a moment, but, deciding that she needed to gossip, leant forwards. "Did you hear about that girl who got murdered?"

Ishida stilled and looked up slowly.

"Her name was Orihime Inoue. Apparently her body was stolen from the morgue, and no one knows how."

"Where did you hear about that?"

"Paper. It was on the front page of the local." Ishida cursed and stood up.

"I'm going out."

Rukia frowned. "You're leaving me with the werewolf alone? What if he escapes?"

"He won't." Ishida threw on a coat and stormed out of the house, leaving Rukia alone in a dark kitchen, with only the sounds of an angry werewolf for company.

* * *

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" Ishida shouted, slamming his palms down onto the table, ignoring the disgruntled sounds coming from the other vampires in the room. "Don't you usually stop things getting public?"

"It was simply... a warning." Aizen purred, not ruffled in the slightest by Ishida's fury. "Just to let you know that we won't protect you anymore."

"...What are you talking about?"

Aizen shrugged. "You're not a part of the clan, are you? So why should the clan protect you? Any more of your... slip-ups, mate... we won't help to hide them. The police? The press? We have control over all of it, but we can easily step back and let them find you, and your little friend."

"The werewolf." Gin spat, smirking. "Your little dog."

Ishida stood up. "I see."

"Of course... we could change our minds."

Ishida sighed, "Now why would you do something like that?"

Aizen smiled. "For a clan member."

Ishida nodded thoughtfully. "I see." And without another word, he walked out of Aizen's office and into the main foyer of the funeral parlour, where a small old lady sat patiently on a seat as the receptionist typed onto her computer.

At the sound of Ishida entering, the receptionist looked up and smiled warmly. "Ishida." Momo greeted. "It's good to have you back with us."

Ishida shook his head. "I was just leaving." He said, and ignored the girl's downhearted expression and strode towards the door, as it opened to show a pretty redhead in a white dress. At the sight of him, she instinctively stilled, hissing quietly. Ishida stopped, eyes wide. "Orihime..."

The old woman looked up at the two in confusion, and Ishida quickly stepped forwards, past Orihime to get outside.

"Ishida." Orihime called, and he turned round, wincing at the sight of her freshly red lips, and stunningly cold eyes. "I was in the paper today, did you see?" She smirked, tilting her head to one side the way she used to when she was alive, but with a colder expression than she could have ever managed in life.

"I saw."

"Aizen thought you might worry about me, and here you are."

Ishida winced as she stepped closer to him. "You've fed."

"Every day." She agreed. "They never know what hit them..." Her eyes lost focus for a moment, and something like pain flickered in her features before the smirk took over again. "Aizen told me your story, by the way, how you sacrificed yourself to him." She bit her lip and stepped back, watching for his reaction to her bait.

Ishida turned and strode away.

* * *

_It was during the First World War. The Great War._

_I was in charge of a small group of men, and Aizen showed up in the trench, covered in the blood of our comrades._

_He was going to kill us all._

_One life in exchange for all of them? What a vain idea..._

_But he agreed._

* * *

The next morning saw Ichigo stumble down the stairs to the smell of a fry-up full English. "What's the occasion?" He grunted, seeing Rukia by the stove. She turned to him triumphantly.

"I can cook!" She stated with a grin.

Ichigo eyed her doubtfully. "If you're not sure about your abilities then neither am I. I'm not risking food poisoning from undercooked meat."

"Please." She scoffed. "Of course I can cook. Eat it." She threatened. "I was up early to make it."

"Up early?" He frowned. "Do you even sleep?"

"Not the point." She muttered sulkily. "Just for that, you're not getting any sausages."

"Oh some on! They're the best bit!" He cried. "And I'm _hungry_ damn it!"

Ishida walked into the room to see Rukia running around as Ichigo tried to grab a sausage from the grill pan held in her oven-gloved hands. He sat down heavily and sighed. "Children."

"Aw, what you doing old man, have some fun." Ichigo laughed, and sat down. "God, my bones hurt."

"And you call me the old man."

Ichigo opened one eye. "If I wasn't so damn tired I'd punch your face you twat." He seethed and glared at Rukia. "Midget, sausages."

"All right, fine." She sighed, and threw two at his plate, one bouncing off and into his lap. "There you go, ungrateful bastard."

Ichigo sighed and put the sausage back on his pate, beginning to eat. Ishida winced at the display. "You really are an animal."

"I am not." Ichigo frowned, bits of chewed up sausage falling from his mouth as he spoke. His companions shuddered and reluctantly, Ishida sat across from him, sitting back to let Rukia put out the food.

"Thanks."

"No problem." She sat down on the third chair and leaned forwards, facing Ichigo directly. The orange haired young man stopped chewing and leaned his head back as she leaned in closer.

"What?"

"How long have you been a werewolf?"

"_What?"_

"How long? How did it happen and where are you from." She listed her enquiries with a straight face, deadly serious.

Ichigo looked up. "Isn't that a bit _rude?_" He said, voice climbing a couple of octaves.

Rukia thought about it. "I'll tell you if you tell me."

The room fell silent, and Ichigo watched her with narrowed eyes. Slowly, he lifted one hand out to her. "It's a deal, dead girl."

"Sure thing, wolf boy."

He took a bite of fried egg and stared at his plate. "I was... hiking in Scotland. Three years ago." He began to cut up his bacon slowly, pushing it round the plate. "I was with a friend of mine- Chad, and when it began getting dark we set up a tent and started to cook some food. The smell must have attracted the wolf... cause next thing I know there's this huge... monster... coming at us. Chad, the great bugger, tried to wrestle it, and was shouting at me to get a knife, his silver knife... but I freaked out."

Ishida quietly ate his breakfast as Rukia stared at Ichigo, transfixed.

"I came to my senses and got the knife, but it was too late for... for Chad. As the thing bit me I got the knife through his shoulder and scared it off. Then I fainted."

"How did you know... what you were?" Rukia pressed in a softer voice.

Ichigo shook his head. "Chad mentioning the silver knife, and the fact that the next month I woke up in the woods with half a rabbit next to me." He looked down. "I had to leave my family, my girlfriend, everyone... to keep them safe."

"Where are they?"

"Leicester, I should think." He looked out of the window. "I don't think they'd have moved." There was a long, heavy silence, until Ichigo's eyes flashed to life. "Your turn."

Rukia glanced at him in surprise, and shook her head. "Nothing interesting. I just tripped down the stairs, that's all."

Ichigo frowned. "You fell? That killed you?"

"I hit my head and broke my neck, if I'd fallen any differently I probably would have survived..." She said. "I'd just moved in with Kaien... we'd just gotten engaged and I tripped over some packaging one night." She shrugged, suddenly looking very small. "You know, there was only one other tenant before you guys."

"Oh?"

"Yeah... right after I... well anyway, I didn't really like them being around so I... got rid of them."

Ishida turned and stared at her, as Ichigo smirked. "How?"

"Just... moved stuff around. Made noises."

"That was _you_?" Ishida cried, throwing his hands in the air. "YOU knocked over my boxes? YOU threw my clothes on the floor? YOU rearranged all my books?"

"No." Ichigo said, smirking. "I did that." He glanced at Rukia. "Alphabetical order... it's like living with Rain Man."

Rukia laughed.

Ishida got up and went to rinse out his cup of tea when the pipe choked.

"What the hell?" He cursed. "Kaien was meant to sort this out!"

"He dropped by while you were out, left a note." Rukia said, voice trembling slightly. "He's coming by later today."

Ishida nodded. "I'll be at work but... Ichigo?"

"Not today." Ichigo slumped against the table. "I'm all wolfed out." Ishida nodded and stood.

"Be good."

"You too."

It was later that afternoon when the doorbell rang.

* * *

_Don't hate me for the cliffie!!!_

_Being Human (BBC) fans will realise that this isn't exactly like the original (at all)_

_"Haruhi" fans will know thats the way I do things haha_

_REVIEW_


	3. Fiancees and THAT Time of the Month

**Now it's the moment you've all been waiting for... Rukia's fiancee makes an appearence!!! (Y)**

**Well, you've probably not been waiting for it, but I had fun writing it xD So, without futher ado... I give you the third and final (just kidding) chapter or Being Human!!!**

* * *

Ichigo looked up and sniffed the air. "Ooh someone's had pizza."

Rukia stared at him as he got up and moved to the door. "You can _smell_ pizza through the door?"

"I have a very good sense of smell." Ichigo justified, looking through the window. "Oh. Rukia...?"

"Yes?"

"Hide." He opened the door. "Kaien!" He greeted stepping aside, and blocking Rukia's view. "It's all the downstairs taps you see... you turn it on and it takes a while for the uh... the water to come out."

"Right." Kaien said, frowning. Ichigo couldn't help noticing that he looked tired and sympathised with him. "Um... The water pipes go upstairs first so I'll go and check it out. Probably connecting pipes."

He stepped past Ichigo before seeming to catch himself and look around. "You coming, Miyako?"

A dark haired woman stood in the doorway, so quiet that Ichigo hadn't noticed her. She was, well, for lack of better words... beautiful. She smiled nervously and looked around. "Doesn't it scare you a little? Being in the house where... you know..."

Kaien frowned. "Even if ghosts existed she wouldn't hurt us. Come on." He thudded upstairs, stepping around the dark stain on the bottom step.

Miyako smiled at Ichigo and moved to follow him when Ichigo said- "Polo's."

"What?" She smiled.

Ichigo almost blushed, but shrugged with his hands in his pockets. "Your shampoo. It smells minty. Like polo's."

She laughed warmly and Ichigo half-smiled. "Do you like it?"

Kaien had stopped and was watching the exchange with the ghost of a smile. "Yeah, 'course." Ichigo said, "Polo's are great." He laughed nervously. "Do you have a hole?" **(A/N I have no idea if anyone not English will get this- Polo's are mints with holes in them, the advert on TV used to have the catchphrase "Do you have a Hole?" so that's why Ichigo said it.)**

The room went silent and Kaien suppressed a laugh. Ichigo's mouth fell open with horror at his own words and Miyako stepped backwards. "Right... well... see you." And she turned, rushing upstairs after Kaien.

Ichigo groaned and turned to see Rukia not two centimetres from his- well not his face, his chest, but still scary. "Oh god! Sorry."

"Forget I was here?" She scathed, glaring at him before turning to look up the stairs. "Seems to be going around."

Ichigo sighed. "Give him a break... it's been a year. He does look miserable."

"Then he should act it!" She gasped. "That was... I know her! She worked with him and was always trying to get into his pants! The little slut!"

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "You can't call her a slut; you've been dead a year."

Rukia huffed, crossing her arms. "So?"

"So..." He sighed, turning to face her completely. "You should move on! He can't just stay pining after you."

Rukia produced a small notebook. "Here are some questions I want you to ask him." She said, looking down.

Ichigo took the book and glared at her. "You illustrated."

"Yes."

"They're terrible." She kicked at his shin, leaving it icy cold. "Ugh!" He looked at the questions. "Are you shagging Miyako Harris...? Come on!"

"If she'd known when I died she'd have been here before the ambulance!"

"... Has my sister had a baby?" He smiled.

Rukia smiled too. "Her and her husband have been trying for ages, I blame him... he's a bit on the cold side. Works for the council. Upper-class tosser."

"Ah." Ichigo nodded.

"Ichigo?"

"ARGH!" He yelled, turning around and facing Kaien. Kaien raised an eyebrow and looked to Miyako.

"Wait in the car." She nodded and left, leaving Kaien to turn and face Ichigo, smirking. "Women, eh?"

Ichigo checked behind him, where Rukia was standing stock still, frozen in horror. "Y-yeah. Tea? Coffee? We have beer..."

Kaien grinned. "Beer would be great. Thanks."

"D-Don't mention it."

Ichigo headed to the kitchen, looking round and indicating for Rukia to follow, but she shook her head. Kaien sat down on the sofa, and looked around. "I noticed one of the bedrooms was pretty trashed..."

"Yeah there was... a pigeon."

"... A pigeon?"

"Yeah. Must've... left a window open or something." Ichigo scowled, wanting to kick himself.

"Well... did you get it out ok?"

"I killed it."

Kaien coughed. "Killed it?"

"With a... shoe."

"Oh... I thought you might just be about to redecorate..."

Ichigo cursed himself silently. "That... would have made more sense."

Rukia stifled a sudden laugh, and knocked over a vase. Kaien looked up. "What the hell...?"

Ichigo ran in, with two bottles of Budweiser. "Oh god... stuff like that happens... sometimes."

Kaien looked up. "Yeah. Previous tenants said," He looked down. "I think they heard about what happened and let their imaginations get the better of them." Ichigo sat down across from him. "You... know what happened right? With my fiancée..."

"A bit." Ichigo lied. "Mostly gossip and what the estate agent said."

Kaien looked down as he took the beer. "Right."

"So er... what did happen?" Ichigo asked. "...I mean you don't have to tell me..."

"No it's ok." Kaien said roughly. "It was dark. I'd not fixed the wiring yet... and she was at the top of the stairs." He stopped. "They said she must've just fallen wrong."

Ichigo reached forwards and clinked their bottles together. "To Rukia."

"Rukia..." Kaien agreed, and they drank.

Ichigo glanced to where Rukia was stood, staring at Kaien in horror. "What... what was she like?"

"Who, Rukia?" Kaien smiled. "She was small." He laughed. "Short." He looked into space and sighed. "Clever, noble, terrible artist... Braver than she thought she was..." He looked Ichigo in the eyes and said in a more serious tone. "... and she was mine." He smiled bitterly and took a swig from the bottle.

"He loved you very much." Ichigo said, sitting down next to Rukia. She wiped her eyes on her dressing gown sleeves and sighed. "Rukia..."

She stood up quickly, "I just... wanted him to see me! Why can't he see me?! I knew if he saw me and could speak to me that..." She turned away in anguish. "And now he's got someone else and I've got nothing! And now _she_ gets to kiss him, and watch him shave... and laugh and... I'm still in the clothes that I died in!" She strode to the window, falling against the frame and holding it tightly.

Ichigo stood up and reached out, pulling his hand at the last moment. Touches not felt offered no comfort.

"I get nothing." Rukia said in a hollow tone. "She gets _him_ and I... get... I get you." She let her head fall against the window frame and Ichigo moved to stand behind her, allowing her to recover.

"After I got... After I lost everything, I ran away. I met Ishida and... I just about came to terms with what had happened to me." Rukia's silence became expectant. "Then one day... I saw her."

Rukia's large violet eyes turned upwards, watching his face in surprise.

"She'd found someone else." Ichigo said. "And... it felt like... like I'd lost _everything _all over again. And it was so... savage."

He looked her in the eyes.

"So I know how it feels. Losing everything all over again." He looked away. "I'm sorry you saw it last night."

"The wolf?"

"I remember looking at it that night... and being offended that such a thing existed. It... Ripped Chad's throat and chest out but... I survived."

"Like me." Rukia said bitterly, and Ichigo smiled.

"Like you." He lifted one hand. "...Hooray for us." He stood close behind her, not quite touching.

Rukia sighed. "I can't believe he's with Miyako."

"You're much prettier." Ichigo said with confidence. "And nicer. But I'll never say it again."

"Oh no, you're much too manly." Rukia said scathingly. "But... I'm also much deader."

The two stood in silence.

"By the way." Rukia said. "How do you keep your cool like that?" She smirked. "When he asked about the bedroom... Are you a ninja or something 'cause that... that was smooth!"

"Shut up." Ichigo grumbled. "Bloody midget."

* * *

Ishida nodded to the ward sister as he approached the desk. "Dr Bennet sent me down to ask why you won't let Mrs Butcher onto the ward."

The ward sister scowled. "You're kidding, we've got no beds. Try ward 8."

"Ward 8's Endocrine." Ishida sighed. "She'd hypertensive anyway."

The ward sister turned away. "Then keep her in Surgery another night, we should have a bed tomorrow." She looked back and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Ishida stood upright, unaware that he'd been staring at her hungrily. "Sorry." He rushed away and stepped outside, where he saw Orihime, who was waiting by the outpatient's entrance. "What are you doing here?"

Orihime sighed. "What are you doing, Ishida?" She looked around. "You know the vampire's time is coming, and Aizen wants you in."

"Vampires have been saying that their time is coming for centuries."

"This time, Aizen's making it happen. You will come back to the clan, Ishida, I know you will."

"What do you want from me?" Ishida demanded. "Why do you seek me out like this?"

"Because you left me!" Orihime cried. "I woke up surrounded by strangers, and in the clan I'm passed around like some orphan because you can't take responsibility!"

"Orihime I am so sorry for what I did..." He swallowed "Come away with me."

"What?" Orihime blinked, stepping backwards.

"We can hide from the clan, not be involved... You don't need to be a part of this."

Orihime barked a laugh. "You think I want to be saved?"

"We can save each other." Ishida insisted. "The clan stays away from rural areas... anywhere exposed." He took her shoulders. "You don't need to be a monster."

The long haired girl shook her head. "No." She pulled away. "I... none of us understand why you're resisting this. I mean... What are you saving really? Have you seen Britain's got Talent?"

Ishida turned away, "I have my conscience."

"You have a natural superiority!"

"I have no right to believe that." Ishida walked back inside. "I will not rejoin the clan. Pass that on to Aizen."

* * *

"So what are your plans next month?" Rukia asked, lazily running her fingers over a strange metal implement. "How you going to deal with your furry little problem?"

"I'd appreciate it..." Ichigo grunted, throwing himself down in a kitchen chair. "If you wouldn't refer to it so flippantly."

"Well, try being _dead _you bastard." She snapped, and tears rolled down her cheeks.

Ichigo stood up hastily. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm going? I'm crying you insensitive jerk!" She lifted up the metal instrument. "This is an Alessi cheese grater! It was an engagement present and now..." She sobbed, throwing it back onto the table. "It's a crappy piece of rubbish in a... a... _rented _house!" She threw her arms and head down and sobbed hysterically into her arms.

Ishida raised his eyebrows. "Interesting." He murmured, and pulled Ichigo away from the kitchen. "I suggest we remain out of her way."

"Is she insane? What's going on?"

"I believe, Ichigo, that it's PMS."

"PMS? _PMS?!_ She's dead for Christ's sake!" Ichigo spluttered, unable to believe it. "Does she even... no. No. I don't want to know." He put his hands up and paused. "...Ishida."

"Yes, Ichigo?"

"When it's... when it's my time of the month..."

"Yes?"

"I don't get like that, do I?"

Ishida pushed his glasses up his nose, coughed awkwardly and retreated upstairs to his room.

"Ishida? Ishida! Answer me!" Ichigo froze as he head the slamming of the cutlery drawer, and retreated to his own room. His lady problems could wait... there was a real monster loose in the house...

* * *

**So you've met Kaien, the clan wants Ishida on their side and... apparently Ghosts still get PMS.**

**PLEASE REVIEW!!!**


	4. A Furry Little Problem

**Has any Being Human fans noticed how alike Urahara and Tully are? I mean... the HAT and the whole yoda thing he has going on... of course Urahara's much cooler... and less desperate...**

* * *

When a werewolf changes form, he is dead for 30 seconds. A wolf's heart is roughly a third of the size of its human counterpart, and in order for it to shrink, first it had to stop.

In other words, he has a heart attack.

In fact, all the internal organs are smaller, so while he's having his heart attack he's having liver and kidney failure too and if he stops screaming it's not because the pain has dulled.

His throat, gullet and vocal chords are tearing and reforming, so literally _can't _make a sound.

By now, the pituitary gland should be working overtime, pumping endorphins into his body to ease the pain... but this too has shut down.

Anyone else should have died of shock long ago... but _it won't let him._

"And that is what I find most remarkable." Ishida whispered, watching Rukia's horrified expression without a flicker of his own emotion. "It drags him through the fire and keeps him alive, even conscious to endure every second."

"Ichigo..." Rukia's eyes snapped to where the orange haired man sat drinking beer in the living room.

"Nothing like this could just evolve. This is the fingerprint of God... an impossible, lethal curse spread by tooth and claw... victim to victim."

Ichigo swallowed. "It's cruel. So much so that it's... perfect."

Rukia's eyes softened momentarily, but before Ichigo could see her sympathy she deliberately hardened her face, as her brother had taught her. "Where will you transform tonight?" She asked, stirring her cold cup of tea. "I won't let you trash the house again... Last month was a one-off."

Ichigo's face scrunched up. "Fine then, you nasty bitch!" **(PMS much?)**

Ishida sighed. "Ichigo..." He said softly, warningly.

Ichigo flushed angrily. "There're some woods not too far off... Ishida will you...?"

"Pick you up in the morning?"

"Yeah..." Ishida nodded once. "Thanks mate." Ichigo picked up his coat. "I'm off to work, anyway. I'll see you later."

Ishida simply lifted a hand in response and Rukia sighed, moving to the sink in disinterest. Ishida noted that Ichigo's eyes lingered on her back a little before he scowled again and tugged his collar up, shoving his hand in his pocket and storming from the house.

Rukia tipped her tea down the sink and began to wash it by hand, slowly. Ishida turned the page of the newspaper and said "You're watching him go. Don't worry, he's a big boy- he can handle walking to school alone just fine. And if you're worrying about his little outburst, then don't... I told you it's his time of the month."

The dark haired girl flushed –Ghost's can blush? Ishida mused- and threw her cup into the sink. "I... Can't believe that that happens to him every month..."

"Hmm..." Ishida sighed. "He can't quite believe it either. He firmly insists that it's not a part of him... that it's simply something that happens to him but then it's over..."

"It is though... isn't it?" Rukia asked, sitting down with another cup of tea. "I mean, he's human the rest of the time, isn't he?"

Ishida was silent for a moment, and then met her eyes. "Being a monster isn't something that just happens... it's a part of who we are, whether we like it or not. I, for example, was once a very noble man."

"You still are."

"No." Ishida shook his head. "I sleep with women before drinking their blood. That is not something a noble man would do."

"But you're fighting it."

"Am I?" Ishida stood up. "I'll see you later."

He left Rukia alone in the kitchen, thinking. Looking up at the ceiling she sighed heavily. "I think you're wrong, Ishida." She murmured, lifting the cup to her lips, touching it slightly, begging herself to feel the heat.

She didn't.

"I am not a part of this." She stated. "Being dead is not a part of me."

Only the empty house heard her, and it didn't answer.

* * *

_**The next Morning**_

Ichigo opened his eyes blearily to the sound of birds singing and the sight of a faintly pink sunrise.

_Beautiful._ He thought. _Senna would have loved it._

But thinking about his ex-fiancée would solve nothing. He turned onto his back and groaned as he felt the still aching joints from last night.

_Bugger that bloody wolf._

"Morning, Ichigo!" A voice sang, and Ichigo winced.

"Why're you so happy Ishida... wait... who the fuck are _you_?!" He sat upright and swiftly covered his –ahem- parts with his hands. A strange man was crouched in front of him with a creepily wide smile. His eyes were hidden by a green and white hat and he was wearing a green jacket and jeans. His trainers, Ichigo noticed, were battered and worn.

"How're you going to get home, Ichigo?" The man asked, with a smirk, which he hid behind a fan. _A fan?! Why's he got a bloody fan?!_ "I suppose you could phone someone but... you don't have a phone... and I'd rather not know where you're keeping any spare change..."

That was it- Ichigo had to get away from this pervert! He got up and, cupping himself carefully, set off at a run through the woods. Hearing the man sigh heavily and begin his pursuit, Ichigo sped up.

"You're going to run home like that? You'll get arrested at least."

"I'm getting far away from you, you perv!" Ichigo called, and ran right into a tree. "ARGH!"

The man stood above him with a badly disguised triumphant grin. "I've got some spare clothes."

"Of course you do, creep."

"And I know what you are." The man smiled wider and fanned himself slowly. "You're a werewolf."

Ichigo's eyes widened, and he swallowed hard. "Wha-what would make you think that?"

"Because I'm one too."

Ichigo opened the bag and rummaged through in annoyance, putting the clothes on with little thought to what he was putting on. "How did you find me?" He demanded. "Why are you wearing clothes? How am I supposed to know you're not lying, anyway?"

"Because every single one of your wolf instincts tells you it's true." The man sighed, airily. "Where is she...?"

"What?"

"No-thing!" He sang.

Ichigo zipped up the jacket. "And you're wrong, by the way."

"Hmm?"

"I can't sense anything. The wolf is gone. It comes, and then it goes away... thank god." Ichigo grunted, stuffing his hand in his pockets and turning to face the man. "Who are you, anyway?"

"They call me Urahara." The man smiled. "And you're Ichigo."

"How'd you find me?"

"A werewolf in Bristol... you kind of stand out." Urahara smiled. "And I sought you out because... safety in numbers, right? Something big's coming, and we guys have to stick together."

"Well, I'm staying out of it. I have a life... Friends... I live with them."

"Do you?"

"A vampire and a Ghost, actually." Ichigo smirked when Urahara's face fell. "Yeah, vampires are real too, by the way, so I've got all I need. I'm happy."

"I know vampires are real, boy." Urahara said in a cold voice. "They beat me up enough for me to sit up and take notice."

Ichigo sighed. "I'm going home." He said and, noticing the offending item for the first time, whipped the hat off his head. "I'm nothing like you... don't follow me."

* * *

Approaching the door, Ichigo blinked as Ishida threw it open with a satisfied smirk. "Come in and meet our neighbours." He commanded, pulling Ichigo in by the collar.

"This is Tatsuki; she works at the hospital with us... This is Kenpachi and Yachiru; they live across the street." He paused. "Kenpachi's been... working away... for the past... eighteen months." Kenpachi smirked and tipped a beer can in acknowledgment. "Sentarou and Kiyone who are studying media at the college and these are Ukitake and his friend Byakuya Kuchiki." He whispered. "Rukia's brother."

Byakuya nodded once in recognition and Ichigo glanced to the corner, where Rukia was leaning casually in plain sight.

"They can't see her." Ishida whispered. "We'll go and get some more beer." He smiled charmingly before pushing Ichigo ahead into the kitchen.

"What the hell are you thinking?" Ichigo hissed. "This is too risky!"

"Who for? Us? What's more suspicious: shady guys who come and go at weird times or friendly guys you can say hello to in the street?" Ishida crossed his arms. "It's what being human is all about."

With that, he turned on his heel and took the beer into the lounge. Ichigo collapsed in a chair and sighed heavily before Rukia appeared beside him. "He has a point."

"How come they can't see you?"

"I think the thing with K-Kaien put me back a few steps." She sighed, brow creasing in annoyance. "How infuriating."

"Your brother seems..."

"Stoic? Hmm."

"I was going to say cold. He doesn't seem at all uncomfortable being where you died." Ichigo looked up. "You okay?"

She shrugged. "I think my sister's death affected him worse."

"What?"

"Apparently she died a couple of months ago." Rukia teared up. "I went to the house and it's empty so she must have moved on."

"I'm sorry." Ichigo said sincerely and Rukia shook her head, brushing away the water on her cheeks.

"Don't be." She gave him a watery smile. "I'm happy for her."

Ichigo and Rukia sat in silence for a short time before he glanced into the lounge. "... Oh _shit_!" He jumped up and ran into the lounge, lifting up Urahara by the collar. "What are you doing here?!" He demanded, and Ishida ushered the guests out of the house quickly, saying that Urahara was Ichigo's brother and that they didn't get on.

Urahara put up his hands. "I didn't follow you, Ichigo... I've known where you live for a while now. Haven't I Yoruichi?"

A dark skinned woman in a leather jacket smirked at Ichigo. "Hey there."

"What's going on?" Ishida demanded, adjusting his glasses. "Who are you?"

"This is Kisuke Urahara." The woman flipped her long purple hair and fixed Ishida with her cat-like eyes. "He's a werewolf."

"And you?"

"I'm Yoruichi Shihoin. I'm similar."

Rukia stepped in and Urahara's eyes immediately widened. "Whoa!" He exclaimed, and Rukia crossed her arms defensively. "You're nothing like a ghost!"

"What do you mean?" Ishida asked.

"She's too... real, too fixed."

"Like an Angel." Yoruichi smiled, and Rukia blushed.

Ishida looked at Ichigo and smiled. "Why not stay for a couple of days? You look as though you've been sleeping outdoors."

"Basking in the love of mother nature!" Urahara cried, throwing his arms wide and making Rukia laugh.

Ichigo looked at Rukia and shifted uncomfortably. "Could've just said "yes"." He muttered. She bit back a laugh.

* * *

"So! To prepare for your trips out every month, it's important to pack a bag to prepare." Urahara announced, as Yoruichi stretch across the sofa languidly. He listed out several things and put them in a black bin liner, as he finished, he got out another bag and put the bin liner in the other one.

"What's that for?" Ichigo asked, glaring at Yoruichi, who yawned loudly. "Why've you got two bags?"

"Double bagging." Urahara blinked, as though it was obvious. "You always double bag Ichigo."

Ichigo flushed and ignored Yoruichi's snickering coming from behind him. "What next?"

* * *

"On a full moon it's very important to have a site surrounded by water." Urahara declared, putting out his arms as they entered the large abandoned church. "You can't cross water when in wolf state, weird that isn't it?"

Ichigo shoved his hand in his pockets. "I guess." He grinned, looking around. "This is perfect! A padlock on the door and board up the windows..."

"No!" Urahara glared at him. "What if someone hears you? Calls the police and says "there's some kind of animal trapped in the woods"? They com round here with guns, tranquilisers... you're trapped, boy."

"Then... what? Why're we here?" Ichigo demanded, and Yoruichi cackled behind him, ruffling his hair.

"Oh, he's so dumb. I like them stupid." She eyed him hungrily, and Ichigo stepped away, to Urahara's amusement.

"Now, now, my little cat." He said, airily. "Don't scare him, my kitten." Yoruichi stepped away and prowled the room lazily. "No, no, Ichigo. This is merely where we store out things overnight. It's much safer outside."

Ichigo tensed. "I may have done that once but what if I go to town?" He said, panicked. "To someone's house?"

"That's why we have this." Urahara pulled out a bound, defrosted chicken carcass, as bought in the co-op. "Ta-da!" He waved his fan excitedly.

The man in front of his simply scowled. "What. Is. That?"

"A chicken on a string!"

"... And how will that help?"

Urahara sighed dramatically, and Yoruichi appeared at his side, all seriousness now. "You take it for a walk."

"..."

"He really is stupid, Kisuke, not fun at all." She sighed. "You trail the chicken in a circle around the church, about a mile in diameter, and when you're in wolf form you'll wander around a bit before picking up the scent." She smirked. "You'll keep going in a circle all night, trailing the chicken until morning."

"When you get dressed and go home." Urahara finished.

Ichigo suddenly grinned. "That's brilliant."

"Isn't it?" Yoruichi smiled. "I'm starved; do you know a good cafe nearby?"

Ichigo eyed her mistrustfully. "There's a place in the town but..."

"Okay! Let's go!"

"H-Hey!" Ichigo shouted. "As if I want to be seen with the likes of you!"

Yoruichi just laughed as she led the way.

* * *

"Hey, Ishida."

"Mm?"

Rukia bit her lip. "Ichigo'll be okay with those two, right?"

Ishida smiled warmly. "I'm sure you've got nothing to worry about. They're nice people... if a little eccentric."

"Yeah..." Rukia nodded, more certainly. "Yeah." She smiled. "I'm sure it'll be fine; they're good company and... it'll help him to accept that he's a werewolf."

* * *

"So Ishida never talked to you about any of this stuff?" Urahara said, throwing Yoruichi a worried glance. "I'd have thought he'd at least have an idea about what to do... being a vampire and all."

"Yeah..." Ichigo murmured. "But vampires generally don't associate with... them... unless they're beating them up."

"What's this _them_ business?" Urahara smirked. "You mean _us_ and _we_... we're a part of something amazing, Ichigo. Embrace it."

Ichigo snarled. "I don't want to!" He growled. "This... thing lost me my fiancée... my family... my life. I am doing my best to keep it apart from what I'm building now."

Urahara rolled his eyes and Yoruichi inspected her nails. "At least it helps you with the girls."

"... I'm sorry?"

"You're kidding..." Yoruichi sat upright. "When was the last time you got it wet?"

Ichigo pulled a face. "What do you... oh my god, that's disgusting?" He put up his hands and sat back, but when the two watched him intently he looked away. "Well I've not... I was never very confident with... that stuff so not since I changed."

There was a long, stunned silence before Yoruichi collapsed on the table laughing and Urahara put a hand to his head in horror. "Dear god, I'd be going _mad_."

"I just don't want to risk it."

Yoruichi smirked. "Are you kidding? They love it."

"They can _smell_ the beast, Ichigo. They _love_ the whole feral thing." Urahara agreed.

Ichigo eyed Yoruichi. "Maybe the men do... but no."

"Watch this." Urahara looked up at the waitress who approached the table with a notepad. "Soi Fon, huh? I like that." He said, reading her nameplate. The girl looked at him before blushing slightly. "What time do you close?"

"About six." Soi Fon eyed Urahara curiously.

"Ah." Urahara nodded, smiling. "Maybe you could buy me a drink at the pub then."

"Excuse me?" Soi Fon raised her eyebrows. "Me buy _you_ a drink?"

"And I suppose you'll have an early start so we'll need to get you in bed by what, nine?"

The girl glanced around and smirked. "All right then." She said, writing her number and address in the notepad. "Pick me up at seven."

Ichigo stared at her in surprise. _She actually went for that?_ He thought incredulously. _Rukia'd slap me!_ He shook his head and sighed as Yoruichi smirked knowingly.

"You see? It's the animal. They _love_ it."

* * *

Ichigo arrived with Yoruichi and Urahara later than expected, Rukia noted as she watched the three walk up the pathway. Ichigo seemed more relaxed than before, at least, she smiled. It did him no good, hiding everything the way he did.

_Of course, you're no different, Rukia..._

Rukia sat bolt upright and frowned. _Where did that some from?_ She wondered; shaking her head as the front door opened, Ichigo entered, closely flanked by Urahara and Yoruichi. "Have a good time?" Rukia smiled, jumping from the windowsill lightly and shrugged. "Ishida's out... something about a girl." She looked concerned for a moment, but it passed when Ichigo nodded once.

"I learned a lot."

Rukia blinked. "Good?"

Yoruichi smirked. "He's a strong one, and once he's picked up the techniques he'll be looking forward to the full moon." Rukia raised her eyebrows and Ichigo looked uncomfortable.

"Looking forward to it?"

"The adrenaline rush just before, and the heightened senses after... sure he will." Urahara smiled silently beside the dark young woman.

"They've taught me some ideas so that I can transform outside without worrying." Ichigo smirked at Urahara "And some besides."

"Where did you go?" Rukia encouraged, and Urahara shrugged. "The woods, the cafe, the town."

"Town?"

Ichigo nodded, smiling. "We just hung out."

_That's weird; he was so against them staying here earlier._ Rukia shook off the thought, focussing on how good it was that Ichigo seemed to be okay with the werewolf thing. "I'll make some tea."

As she left, she heard Ichigo sit down heavily on the sofa and Urahara talking in a low voice, the words indistinct. Something about "research" and "fascinating" but that was all she caught. Yoruichi murmured something back and when Rukia looked around Ichigo was obviously trying to listen in on the hushed conversation. Rukia bit back a smirk and carried the tea through.

"Ichigo, you want to go for a walk?" Yoruichi asked, suddenly, and the two housemates blinked. "I want to explore more but Kisuke's feeling tired."

"Uh... sure." Ichigo muttered, and glanced at Rukia quickly. "You alright?"

"Hm? Yeah. I don't mind." Ichigo got up and left the house with the woman, who patted Rukia's shoulder as she passed. When the door closed, Urahara gratefully took one of the cups of tea.

"Well we'll just have to drink these ourselves then won't we?" He smiled. "Sit, drink with me."

Rukia obediently sat down, placing the other two cups on the coffee table. "I... can't." She smiled.

"Sorry?"

Rukia shrugged. "I can't drink tea. Or anything, I can't eat..."

"Sleep?"

"Ishida thinks I should give it a go, even if it's just a nap but... I don't know."

"Fascinating." Urahara nodded.

Rukia peered at him, intrigued. "I thought you'd met ghosts before."

"Yes, but you're... very solid." Urahara grinned. "Incredibly so. I've never seen a ghost so real." He reached out and grabbed her wrist. "It's absolutely fascinating."

"Um... could you let go please?" Rukia winced as the grip on her wrist tightened. "You're hurting me."

"How can it hurt? You're a ghost."

Rukia twisted. "Kaien..."

"Who?"

"Kisuke! Please." Rukia sighed in relief as the hand released her, and moved backwards a little on the sofa, warily.

Urahara put his hands up in innocence. "Sorry, I was just playing with you." He laughed mildly, and Rukia joined in nervously. "Just playing."

But Rukia was very aware of him watching her keenly as she rubbed her wrist. "Ishida and Ichigo will be back soon."

"You think so?"

Rukia nodded, but Urahara sighed.

"Wasn't Ishida working an extra shift later? And Yoruichi's a very curious little kitty. Ichigo probably won't be back for a couple of hours..." He lifted his chin a little so that Rukia could see his eyes under the hat. "You do have Urahara's mind working overtime."

"Sorry." Rukia smiled. "It must be the influence of Ishida and Ichigo."

"Perhaps. But Urahara's wondering what else you can feel..." He trailed of musingly. "If you can feel pain, can you bleed?"

Rukia jumped up in surprise but Urahara chuckled mildly. "As I said before... I'm only playing."

"The joke's going a little too far."

"But you feel pain."

"No." Rukia lied. "No I don't, it's just... you were gripping my wrist hard, and I thought that it _should _hurt but it didn't, not really."

Urahara sipped his tea. "I don't believe you." He sang, and stood up. "What else can you feel, hmm?"

Rukia backed away in horror as Urahara stood still. "Can you bleed?" He asked. "Can you die?" He moved towards her, eyes sparking with the fascination of learning something new. "Could you feel a kiss? Could you fall in love again and make love to that person?"

He moved to grab her wrist again but Rukia closed her eyes, disappearing from sight.

Urahara let out a low whistle. "Oh dear."

* * *

**Ta-Daaaa! Another chapter! MAGIC!**

**I've been on holiday for two weeks and I'm volunteering at the special Olympics from 5am till 9pm so writing has been difficult!**

**If you think Urahara's being a bit agressive, then don't worry! I love him too! All will be explained in the next chapter!**

**Please review to support this story!**


	5. Werewolf Flirting

**Hey guys! A quicker update this time, with a slightly better (but shorter) chapter. And guys... there's an IchiRuki moment!**

**A little present for sticking with this story up to chapter 5 despite the slow updates. (Smiles)**

* * *

Rukia stumbled through the street, unsure as to how she'd gotten there. She'd just wanted to get away, closed her eyes and...

"Excuse me, but do you know the way to the hospital? I need to go to the hospital..." The woman walked right past her and didn't even blink. Tears ran down Rukia's face as she stumbled towards a crowd of people next to an Ambulance, but she paused as she saw two figures by the door of the house.

From the house a body bag was being carried, and a policeman stood talking to a girl with his hands on her shoulders. The man was wearing glasses and had light brown hair; he looked up from the redheaded girl and met Rukia's eyes, smiling.

The girl was ushered away, and Rukia recognised her... but she didn't know from where... But the policeman gave her chills, with his calm smile.

Then his eyes turned black and he began to speak.

"Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Tick Tock..." And he laughed quietly, striding into the house without a backwards glance.

Gasping, and trembling for a reason she didn't quite understand, Rukia fled.

* * *

Yoruichi and Ichigo ended up standing outside the hospital in the cold, Ichigo with his hands dug deep into his pockets and Yoruichi crossing her arms confidently. "Right. Yoru-lesson number 1. I'm going to help you use the wolf to your advantage in everyday life." She smirked. "Do you remember Urahara picking up that girl in the cafe?"

Ichigo winced. "Yes..."

"Now it's your turn." Ichigo almost tripped over his own feet in horror.

"No way."

"Come on, how bad can it be?"

Ichigo jumped back when she reached for his arm, and held up his hands. "No way, you pervert freak!" He pointed one finger at the woman accusingly. "You get some kind of kick from this kind of thing?"

"Yes." Yoruichi grinned. "But it will help you in the long run, and you'll thank me tonight." She winked and a shudder ran down Ichigo's spine.

It wasn't that he was _completely_ averse to s-s-se... Aw damn he couldn't even think the word without stuttering! And besides, he could only summon up the slightest enthusiasm at the idea when thinking about R... No! He thought. Definitely not the Midget!

"I've just... not been with anyone since Senna... and so I'm a little apprehensive..."

"No time like the present! Go now. Her." Yoruichi pushed him towards a dark haired girl emerging from the Hospital in a Nurses outfit, lighting up a cigarette. Ichigo instantly recognised her as Tatsuki from the street he lived on, the girl who'd been there when Ishida had invited all of their neighbours round.

"Uh... Ichigo?" Tatsuki raised her eyebrows as he stumbled towards her. "You want a light?"

Ichigo stared at her for a moment before turning to glare at Yoruichi, who was no longer there. "Um." He stalled, floundering for whatever Urahara had said to that Soi Fon girl. "Tatsuki right? I like that."

"..."

"W-What time does your shift end?"

Tatsuki stared at him, narrowing her eyes. "Nine..."

"Y-You could... take me out and buy m-me a drink then... And I suppose you'll have an e-early start tomorrow..." He cringed. _I can't believe I'm saying this..._ "So we'll... _getyouinbed_ by what, Eleven?"

"..."

"T-Tatsuki?"

"Sure."

"W-What?!"

"I said... Fine." Tatsuki smiled. "But today's no good; it's kind of my dirty lady week." She giggled and Ichigo blinked. "But next week should be fine. I've always wanted to do it with someone who had stupid hair."

"...Are you serious."

Tatsuki laughed. "Do chicken have teeth?" When Ichigo scowled slightly in confusion. "I'm going to tell all my friends about you. So don't be surprised if the other nurses and our neighbours start to give you a lot of attention from now on."

She threw her cigarette down and turned to walk away.

"If you try to touch me I will kick the shit out of you."

Ichigo stood still by the gate with a nonplussed scowl on his features for one long moment before Yoruichi appeared at his side, making him jump.

"That went well." She winked. "She's practically in bed with you already."

"Really?" Ichigo narrowed his eyes. "Cause that felt like it went really, really badly."

"Nah, she loved it, mate."

"..._ Do _Chicken have teeth?"

"Kind of ridges. They're like teeth." As Ichigo led the way back Yoruichi shook her head, eyes wide in amazement. "How can anyone be that bad?" She wondered quietly, and laughed. "Poor guy."

_But at least he's getting more confident._

* * *

Ishida was deep in thought as he approached the house, carrying the week's shopping in three carrier bags –he didn't much bother with the whole recycling thing- he pondered what the presence of the new household additions could mean for his friend.

More confidence could only be a good thing, right?

"Ishida!" He turned in surprise to see Rukia crouched behind a couple of wheelie bins. Looking between her and the house which was still a fair distance, he raised his eyebrows. "You left the house!" He said smiling, but his face fell as he saw that her eyes were red.

"What happened?" He gasped, and Rukia stood up shakily, stumbling forwards and weeping into his chest.

* * *

"Out." Ishida commanded as the door slammed open. Urahara stood up from lounging on the sofa and glanced at Rukia, putting his hands up in defence.

"Why?"

"Get out of this house!"

"Has Ichigo got any say in this?"

"I'll talk to him." Ishida said, glowering at the blond man through his glasses. When the door opened to reveal Ichigo and Yoruichi, Rukia jumped and clutched her hands to her chest.

Urahara smiled. "You do that."

"...What's going on here?" Ichigo asked, looking at the scene bemusedly. Ishida and Rukia looked defensive and Urahara was lazily stood in the centre of the lounge.

"Don't ask me, mate." Urahara shook his head and moved to stand beside Yoruichi, behind Ichigo.

Ishida pointed at the door "Urahara's leaving."

"Why?" Ichigo's eyes widened. "He's been teaching me..."

"He scared Rukia." Ichigo's eyes flitted to the petite girl and their eyes met.

Urahara leaned forwards. "That was a big misunderstanding." He said calmly, "I was simply curious, Kuchiki."

"Why are you trying to stop this?" Ichigo scowled at Ishida. "I finally have someone showing me how to cope with my condition! You never tried."

"You could barely admit you have a condition!" Ishida retorted, spitefully.

Ichigo shook his head. "I'll talk to them. You guys wait here." He turned to the others. "Let's go."

"Ichigo!" Rukia stepped forwards but he glared at her.

Ishida adjusted his glasses. "He basically attacked her."

"And I bet she loved it!" Ichigo shouted, his frustration with the situation finally forcing its way out, instantly his eyes widened in horror and the entire room was covered in dead silence.

"Ichigo..." Ishida sighed, and Ichigo lowered his head, furious.

"I'm going with them." He stated. "That's final." And he left.

Ishida closed his eyes. "Rukia... He didn't mean..."

But she was gone.

* * *

The three gathered in the church in the woods, and Ichigo rounded on his companions as soon as they were inside. "What the hell just happened?!" He shouted.

"Hey..."

"No! Those things I said to her..."

Urahara put one hand on his shoulder. "I asked some stupid questions, and she took them the wrong way. I was just curious about her."

Ichigo shook his head, leaning against the wall. "I was horrible."

Yoruichi nudged Urahara. "I think you'd better tell him, Kisuke."

"Tell me what?" Ichigo growled, looking up at the two with eyes of burning fury. "In case you haven't noticed I'm having a pretty bad day."

"It's just..." Urahara removed his hat. "There was a major reason as to why I sought you out."

"Oh, really." Ichigo bit out. "What was that?"

"Before I tell you, I need to warn you of something." Urahara sighed. "The vampires are preparing something big, something really huge. They keep saying that their time is coming... and they're getting less careful about killing and changing people."

"We were attacked by the bastards more often than usual on our way here." Yoruichi agreed. "Keep an eye out, and watch your friend. I know he's a good guy..." She held up a hand. "But blood is hard to resist."

Ichigo growled. "And?"

"Three years ago... I read in the local paper about a wolf attack on a full moon- it said that one died but one survived... and I found out your details. I've been following you, specifically you, since then." He took a deep breath. "I did that because I woke up that morning nearby."

"You mean..."

Yoruichi took Urahara's arm. "He was the one who gave you this _gift_ Ichigo." She emphasised, meeting his eyes with her own amber watering ones. "He's like your father."

"I left my father behind when I became this... it's not a gift!" Ichigo gasped, falling to his knees.

Urahara knelt in front of him, one hand over his eyes. "Before I became like this... I had a wife... and a son. I was so... so happy." His voice broke and Yoruichi sat down with her arms around his shaking shoulders. "But now... I have a son. You are my son." He looked up and met Ichigo's wide eyes. "I have taught you things... and helped you. I saw what you had here and... I wanted that."

Yoruichi suddenly morphed into a small black cat and rubbed against Urahara affectionately, making Ichigo start in surprise.

"My little kitty." Urahara cooed, stroking the cat fondly.

Ichigo bowed his head.

And then he lunged.

Urahara and Ichigo rolled across the floor, breaking apart and crouching defensively close to the ground Yoruichi arched her back and hissed threateningly but Urahara raised a hand. "Stay back, pussycat."

Ichigo made the first move, attacking Urahara from the front with his hand, scratching the older man's cheek and leaving angry red welts as Urahara didn't dodge.

"What are you doing? Fight back!" Ichigo growled, crouched on all fours.

Urahara stood up and readied himself, retaliating with Ichigo's next attack by catching a hold of his arm and throwing him over his head.

Yoruichi watched the fight from the windowsill, hissing each time Urahara was hit, and mewing when Urahara hit back.

When Urahara lay in a huddle at Ichigo's feet, Ichigo brought himself upright and zipped up his hoodie, putting the hood over his head and glaring down at the man at his feet.

"When we met the first time... you didn't know what you were doing. I accept that, and I forgive it."

He met Yoruichi's eyes and the cat morphed into human form. "The second time..." Ichigo closed his eyes. "There won't be a third."

"You need me, Ichigo." Urahara groaned. "You don't know it yet, but eventually... All you have is your conscience and one day, that will go too."

"You're wrong." Ichigo raised his chin defiantly. "Stay away from my friends."

Yoruichi rolled Urahara so that his head was cradled in her lap. "Kisuke..."

"You say that you want what I have." Ichigo watched the pair. "But I miss what you two have. What I had with Senna." He closed his eyes and turned to leave.

"Ichigo!" Yoruichi called. Ichigo met her eyes, and she smirked weakly. "We will be in touch." She looked down at Urahara. "This man's curiosity gets the better of him too often, and he does things he doesn't mean. One day you'll want to talk to him again."

"Maybe. But he hurt one of my most precious people. And I'm not sure that I can forgive that."

* * *

Rukia sat huddled against the foot of the spare bed, arms wrapped around her knees. She jumped when the door opened to reveal a very tired looking Ichigo leaning against the doorframe.

"Can I come in?"

"...Sure." She smiled weakly. "I feel so stupid, making a big deal of that..."

"Don't. If he scared you then he scared you. Don't be ashamed." Ichigo sat down heavily next to her. "I'm sorry about earlier. What I said..."

"It's ok." Rukia sighed. "I'm sorry too. I know he was helping you and..."

"Well about that." Ichigo laughed mirthlessly. "Turns out he was the one who changed me." His eyes darkened. "He didn't tell me until Yoruichi made him."

Rukia was silent but leaned against him comfortingly. Ichigo smiled and put an arm around her, moving to kiss the top of her head as she turned to kiss his cheek...

* * *

**ClIFFHANGER! :o Don't hate me! (cowers)**

**Anyhow, review with your opinions of this chapter, I know some people WILL hate me for it, but this was a crucial part of the story, and... you'll see.**

**Next Chapter... Ichigo finds out that Ishida was behind Orihime's 'death'! And the boys get into some serious trouble...**

**REVIEW!**


	6. DVDs and Bowling

**Annnnnnnnnd here's chapter 6! It feels like this story's been longer... and I feel like I should be in the double digits... Ah well, I will soon enough! I know where this story's going, of course, and I have an approximation on how many more chapters it'll take...**

**ANYWAY I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Rukia was silent but leaned against him comfortingly. Ichigo smiled and put an arm around her, moving to kiss the top of her head as she turned to kiss his cheek.

Neither of them expected to be kissing each other's lips.

There was a frozen moment in which both registered what was going on, before they sprung apart, staring at each other in surprise. Rukia put a hand to her mouth. "Sorry I meant for your cheek."

"I was going for your head." Ichigo apologised, blushing and putting a hand to his mouth. "Wait..." He put a hand out to catch hers, stopping her from leaving. "I _felt _that."

Rukia blinked. "What?"

"I felt it! And I can hold you too, see?"

"Oh. Oh!" Rukia turned to look at him.

Ichigo touched his lips. "It felt... cold. Like kissing someone who'd just come in from outside." Rukia looked away thoughtfully. "It was nice." He smiled, and Rukia smiled back. "Did... you feel anything?"

Rukia blinked, and frowned. "Yeah... I felt... something." Ichigo looked up as some unheard noise attracted his attention.

"Ishida." He said, and got up. "You coming?"

Rukia nodded. "I'll be right down." And she watched him go, anxiously biting her nails.

So she was getting more and more corporeal.

Now what?

* * *

Ishida glanced up. "Is Rukia back?" He asked, "I did a look around the area and couldn't find her."

"Upstairs." Ichigo nodded. "Everything's sorted out now." He sat down heavily at the kitchen table. "I sent them away."

Ishida sat down, picking up a cold cup of tea and sipping it slowly, grimacing at the taste. "And?" At Ichigo's scowl he shrugged. "After so long I learn to read you like a book. Tell me."

"Urahara was... the one who..." Ichigo mimed a scratch over his left shoulder. "yeah."

"I see." Ishida glanced around. "Sentarou and Kiyone are going to lend us _Casablanca_ on DVD." He smiled, attempting to lighten the mood.

"...Why would they do that?" Ichigo scowled.

Ishida smirked. "I'm only _in _it!"

"You're kidding!" Rukia enthused, entering the room and heading straight to the kettle. "How'd you manage that?"

"Oh, I know people." Ishida smirked. "Only... you can't actually _see _me of course but at one point I knock over a chair." He chuckled. "And I helped out in costume too."

"Costume?" Rukia asked, intrigued.

Ichigo sighed. "He sews."

"Really? Could you make me some clothes?" Rukia grinned. "I've been wandering round in pyjamas since I died and since I can touch people now..."

"You can touch people?"

"Yeah! Oh, and that reminds me... never go to Ichigo for comfort cause he _will_ try to kiss you." She warned, and Ichigo threw his hands in the air.

"For God's sake!"

Ishida blinked, and shook his head. "I leave you two alone for five minutes..."

* * *

Outside, Orihime listened to the rare carefree moment with a saddened frown, and turned away quickly, storming off down the street.

"What the..." Tatsuki stared after the girl. "God... I thought for a moment... But that's impossible. Orihime's dead..." Biting her lip, she looked between the corner the girl had turned, and the house on the corner. Shaking her head, she headed back across the street and into her own house. "Impossible."

* * *

Inside, the group turned as a DVD in a plastic wallet dropped through the door, picking it up, Ichigo waved it around. "I suppose this is it then, is it?" He grinned. "Rukia, you get the tea, I'll get the chocolate digestives and Ishida... you set the DVD player up."

When the three congregated in the lounge, they arranged themselves close together on the sofa, with Rukia between the two boys holding the packet of biscuits.

Pressing play, Ichigo skipped back and threw himself onto the settee, smiling at Rukia before leaning back and spreading his arms over the back of the sofa lazily.

The scene opened up to show a man sitting on his bed.

"What is this?" Ishida frowned, munching on a biscuit.

Ichigo leaned forwards. "Is he a mental? He's talking to himself." His eyebrows furrowed and Rukia gripped his knee without realising.

Ishida's expression shifted, and he paled more than usual, covering his mouth.

_No...They don't know that I killed you, just leave me alone..._

"He's... talking to a vampire."

"What?" Rukia's eyebrows rose and she pulled a face. "Why've they sent you something like... oh my God..."

The man on screen had begun to take of his clothes, and after a while was writhing on top of the bed, thrusting into nothing.

"What the..."

"That's..."

Rukia turned and hid her face in Ichigo's shoulder. "Are we... watching someone having sex?"

Ichigo stared, mouth open in horror as the man sat upright, gripping onto no one as he continued his thrusts. Then, his horror became more pronounced as the man spasmed, and blood began to drip from his shoulder, he pushed frantically at thin air, and slid to the floor, lifeless.

"Why... why have the vampires sent you this?" Ichigo asked, moving his hand to Rukia's hair, holding her in place.

"It's to show you what you're missing..." Rukia mumbled, miserably, "To make you want to go back."

"Is _that _meant to be sexy?" Ichigo asked. "Is that some kind of vampire porn?"

Ishida nodded, "I'll throw this away... it's nothing to do with me now." He took the disk and left Ichigo and Rukia comforting each other, but instead of the bin, he sighed, and took it upstairs to hide in his DVD collection.

He maybe wasn't quite ready to part from it yet, he thought, as his eyes turned black.

* * *

"Just go away."

"What you gonna do, hippie-kid?" The kid with a shaved head and an earring –really? An earring on a kid? Pushed the other child into a wall, laughing with his friend as the smaller boy glared at him.

"Yeah, you gonna beat us up? Or set yer mum on us?" The friend had zigzags shaved into the side of his head and wore a rip-off hoodie.

"Hey! What's going on?!" Ishida called, shoving his hands in his pockets and striding across the street, positioning himself at the side of the child getting picked on. "What do you think you're doing?"

"You gonna start on us, emo boy?"

"Start on you?" Ishida's eyebrows rose. "What are you, _five_?"

"Reckons he can take us on, innit?" The kid with the zigzags grinned, and pushed Ishida in the chest. "You gonna hit us or what?"

Ishida adjusted his glasses. "You really don't want to do that."

"Oh really?" The kid with the earring pushed him again, laughing.

"No." Ishida's eyes turned solid black and he smirked. "Really."

"Shit!" The two boys backed away, turning heel and running off down the street.

"You know..." a small voice started. "I could have managed."

"Really? I couldn't at your age."

"Really?" He turned to see a short girl with green hair and a baseball cap. "You couldn't?"

"Nah. How old are you anyway?"

"Twelve..."

"Hey, Neliel!" The girl turned to see a woman hurrying towards her, laden with carrier bags. "I'm home." The woman tilted her head at Ishida. "And you are...?"

"Ishida Uryuu." Ishida smiled and shook her offered hand. She was quite pretty, he thought, with long wavy green hair and a careworn but smiling face.

"Mai Souma." The woman smiled. "Were those lads picking on you again?" She demanded of her daughter, to which Neliel protested loudly. "I keep telling her to stay away from this little thugs... but it goes to show the state of England today, doesn't it? Kids like that allowed to do what they want..."

She smiled, tucking a strand of green behind her ear. "But I'm ranting. And my Nell isn't like that. Much more sensitive, aren't you, sweetie?" She grinned, pinching Nell's cheek.

"No I'm not."

"Of course you are!" Mai grinned. "Anyway... Ishida. Do you want... a coffee? As a way of thanks." She smiled encouragingly and Ishida opened his mouth, glancing back at the house in apparent indecision.

"Why not?" He grinned, and stepped up to the door after Nell and her mother.

Mai chatted amicably all through coffee, with Nell's embarrassed muttering every now and then; the three enjoyed what was probably the most humane experience of Ishida's long existence.

And for the first time, he really believed Ichigo's insistence that they could live as normal humans.

And he forgot about the vampire clan, and was happy.

* * *

Ichigo sighed wearily as he opened the door to the ward, with his uniform on; he collapsed in the chair beside the hospital bed and lifted one hand in a tired greeting.

"Zdravo" He greeted the elderly Croatian woman.

"What's that guy doing?" Tatsuki asked one of the other nurses. "That's the perv I told you about, from my street."

"Skiving work under the pretence of being hospitable... Really, as if we're not understaffed already!" The other nurse frowned. "Jerk."

"I'll sort it out." Tatsuki reasoned, and clenched her fists. "Verbally or physically..." She strode over to the bed and smiled her nurse's smile. "What... are you doing? This lady doesn't speak English."

Ichigo sighed. "I know that. I'm speaking to her in _Croatian_ about her home." He grinned. "Did you know that her father ran for mayor? And her mother gave birth eighteen times! Incredible."

"Right..." Tatsuki narrowed her eyes. "You speak Croatian?"

"Russian, Japanese, Mandarin, French, German, Spanish... a little Hebrew and the bare minimum of Thai... sort of limited to 'two beers please, how much for one night'..." He paused. "That one got me into trouble..."

Tatsuki shook her head. "Well I suppose chatting is better than actually doing some _work _but..."

"My shift actually ended half an hour ago." Ichigo glared. "I'm visiting her because when I moved her here from surgery she mentioned that all her family are in Croatia."

"Oh." Tatsuki swallowed. "Well then... that's okay." Nodding once, she turned and walked, a little hesitantly, back towards the nurse's station.

Ichigo shook his head, and continued his conversation about Home-made wine.

* * *

"So you really don't mind?" Mai asked, brushing her hair out of her eyes impatiently. "I mean... I'm sure you'd rather do something else..."

"No, not at all." Ishida smiled. "As long as... you're okay with it. I mean... you only met me today."

Mai glanced at Nell, who nodded her head eagerly. "I... don't believe in wrapping kids up in cotton wool. And you seem like a nice guy." She smiled. "After bowling I'll pick her up from your house? If you don't mind..."

"Don't worry." Ishida smiled. "You go. Work calls."

"Thanks." Mai grinned in relief and grabbed her handbag, running out of the door.

"You've been bowling before?" Ishida asked, and Nell raised her eyebrows.

"Of course... I..."

"Keys!" Mai called running back past them and out again. "Bye!"

"Bye!" Ishida laughed. "Is she always like that...?"

The two exchanged a glance and Nell sighed. "Yep."

As they left, Mai, who was fixing her make-up hurriedly in the street, spotted them and waved, turning away to face her contact, she frowned and studied the reflected image of her daughter...

Walking down the street alone.

* * *

"So what do you want to be when you're older, then?"

Nell grinned as she bowled another strike, making Ishida groan in dismay as he marked it down. "I could be a pro bowler." She giggled. "What did you want to be?"

Ishida paused, and grinned. "Well there wasn't much choice where I came from. You either grew up to be a farmer, a vicar... a soldier like me..."

"You were in the army?" Nell was suddenly fascinated. "Wow... Did you kill anybody?"

"Um." Ishida glanced around awkwardly. "Well..."

"Well isn't this nice?" The two turned to glance at the newcomer and Ishida almost choked on his Tango Ice-Blast.

"Who are you?" Nell asked curiously, and Orihime smiled charmingly in a perfect imitation of her human self.

"I'm his friend. And you?"

"Nell. His neighbour..."

Ishida grabbed her arm and pushed her behind him. "What are you doing here Orihime?"

"I came to help with the babysitting." She smirked. "Having fun, are we?"

"Nell, take my turns. I'll be right back." Ishida commanded, storming off with Orihime in tow. "What on earth are you trying now?" He demanded, shaking her by the shoulders. "Stay. Away. From. Me!"

"Did you enjoy the DVD I sent you?" She smirked. "I was always told that I was... pretty enough to be on film."

Ishida grabbed her arm. "I threw up when I saw it." He hissed. "Don't you dare try to come to the house. The others don't know about you." He threw her backwards.

"Aizen says that this is your last chance to come back. Please reconsider." She took his hand. "I beg of you...!"

"No." Ishida took a step backwards, away from the pleading vampiress. "I have a chance to live as a human, and I'm going to take it."

"It's cold out there without us!" She shouted, but Ishida turned. "What is the point?" Orihime whispered with tears falling as Ishida walked away. "If I were the rain that connects the Earth and the Sky..." She raised eyes filled with fury to Ishida's retreating back. "Would I be able to join two hearts together?"

* * *

"This is Nell." Ishida introduced, as he escorted Nell into the living room.

Ichigo and Rukia glanced up as the two piled crisps and fizzy pop onto the coffee table. Rukia grimaced. "Does any of that actually qualify as food?"

"Probably not." Ichigo grinned, taking an orange and white Party Ring and popping it into his mouth. "But it's delicious."

Nell blinked. "Who... are you talking to?" The three housemates blinked and Ishida coughed.

"No one. Salt and Vinegar crisp?" He offered the green Walker's bag with a grin. "How about some Fanta?"

Nell grinned. "Brilliant."

"So..." Ichigo started, clasping his hands. "I'm afraid I don't have any dolls or cuddly toys..."

"She's twelve years old, Ichigo." Ishida smirked. "Not five."

"Sorry... Sorry..." Ichigo leaned forwards, face serious. "Do you want a beer?"

"Twelve, Ichigo." Ishida and Nell exchanged a glance and a smirk. "But get me one, would you?"

Ichigo scoffed, glanced around and got up, muttering darkly, Rukia giggled and followed him into the kitchen, practically skipping across the floor. "I don't know why _you're_ so miserable." She said, archly. "I think it's great that we- you're getting more integrated into the community. I would have had little parties like this if Kaien and I had had a kid... we were going to, you know. The junk room was going to be the nursery."

Ichigo nodded, "Sorry. I'm not used to children."

"Didn't you have two younger sisters?"

Ichigo smiled. "Yeah... but they never really behaved like kids after our mother died..."

Rukia touched his arm comfortingly. "I'm here to talk... if you ever want."

"Thanks, midget Bitch."

"No problem, Strawberry giant."

* * *

"Who're they?" Nell asked, pointing to a pottery ornament of Laurel and Hardy by the TV, Ishida raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"You don't know?"

"Is the fat one Hitler?"

"God, no." Ishida smirked, adjusting his glasses. "That's Laurel and Hardy, only the greatest performers that ever lived." Nell simply shrugged and Ishida sighed. "Tell you what, go upstairs and grab the first Laurel and Hardy DVD that you find. You'll love it." He watched the girl run up the stairs with a strange clenching in his chest.

_I wonder what Orihime meant when she said that it's cold out there without the clan..._

Ishida leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling.

_At least Ichigo and Rukia didn't find out that I killed her... Ichigo'd get so mad..._

He chuckled lightly. "Ichigo! Where's my beer?"

* * *

**Not my best, but it'll do (smiles) Next chapter will probably get a little darker, since Ichigo finds out about Orihime and the trouble I promised last chapter comes about next chapter! Hehe**

**And who knew Ichigo could speak Croatian? Haha REVIEW PLEASEEEEEE**


	7. The Truth is Coming

**DUDE I GOT INTO UNIVERSITY!**

**Despite what me and my entire household thought! WAHOO!**

**Hence, Updates will become irregular in September, but will continue, cause... well... it's Being Human. BTW I realised that I've kind of missed something out, so for people who've seen BH- forgive me for the slight discrepancies! I'm doing my best!**

**Oh dear, Ishida... what did you do?!**

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* * *

_

The rain fell and Ichigo held onto Rukia, looking across the crowded street in horror with Ishida beside him.

"_How did it come to this?" He demanded, turning to Ishida with accusing eyes. "We only wanted to be human!"_

_Ishida glared at him. "That's exactly where it went wrong." He growled, and turned away._

Perhaps we should backtrack.

* * *

"Nell, what are you doing?"

Nell glanced at her mother, who was slumped over the table in a tired mess. "Putting on a DVD." She smiled.

"Keep it quiet, for god's sake..."

"Sure thing." Nell put the blank DVD into the player and sat back to watch the show Ishida had sent her home with.

There was a man.

He was talking to himself.

It didn't seem right, and Nell realised fairly quickly that it was the wrong DVD.

She glanced back at her mum, who had her eyes closed, before turning back to the screen.

He was naked...?

"Nell... What the _hell _do you think you're watching?!"

* * *

In the toilets of the hospital, before the caretaker turned the lights on, Ichigo threw water over his face from the sink and shook his head to wake himself up; he'd gotten very little sleep the night before... lying awake with thoughts of ghostly kisses...

Water again.

"Hey there, little doggie."

He whipped around at the voice and gripped the edge of the sink as he squinted through the shadows at the figure in front of him.

_Sniff._

A vampire.

_Sniff._

A girl... Someone familiar?

"Remember me... Ichigo?"

_No._

Ichigo felt sweat begin to bead on his forehead. "You..." He closed his eyes. "I went to your funeral."

"We were friends, weren't we, Ichigo?" Orihime smiled, walking slowly forwards. Ichigo could feel his arms, braced against the sink, trembling with the force of his grip, and he turned fiery amber eyes on the woman before her. "What happened to you?"

"Surely you can guess?" Orihime stepped fully into the light, and Ichigo scanned her outfit with surprise.

In life... she'd been so different...

_He'd first seen her working in the children's ward, reading a story to the girl with leukaemia. One of the doctors nudged him and winked, indicating the nurse with a tilt of the head. Ichigo frowned as the doctor mimed big breasts and walked off, laughing to himself._

"_Pervert." He scoffed, and turned back to the girl, who was looking at him with a blush. He raised one eyebrow and turned to leave._

"_Um... Excuse me." He turned around to see the redhead from the children's ward shuffling her feet shyly. "I... you're new here, aren't you?"_

"_And?" Ichigo scowled. "Why does it matter?"_

_The girl blushed harder and held out her hand. "I'm Orihime Inoue. I just... here." She thrust a small lunchbox into his chest. "I made it for you and your friend. Please enjoy."_

_The lunch had been terrible, but he and Ishida had befriended the girl and would often eat with her._

"Ishida did this to you...?" Ichigo put a hand to his head. "Oh no... No..."

Orihime moved close to him, leather jacket pulling apart to show a tight red top cut to make the most of her chest. "You know, I always preferred you..." She ran a painted fingernail over Ichigo's collarbone. "But you never even gave me the time of day."

"We were friends." Ichigo breathed, his eyes squeezed tightly shut. _Ishida killed her... Ishida killed her!_

Orihime leaned forwards. "Ishida didn't mind risking our friendship... for just... one... night." She was whispering in his ear now, and Ichigo was ready to collapse under his own helplessness.

"I am so sorry Orihime." He choked. "We only wanted..."

"To be human, I know!" Orihime hissed, throwing herself backwards. "It's all Ishida says but I can _see!_ I see it in his eyes!" She turned and glared at Ichigo. "And now! Now you stink!" Ichigo blinked. "You absolutely _stink _of dog! I just... Everything's different and _wrong _and I'm not even _me _anymore..."

Ichigo reached out, but stopped short and looked down. "That DVD..."

She made a sort of choking sound, and turned large, terrified eyes to his. "Aizen..."

"Who?"

She blinked, and started to laugh, backing away. "He really never tells you anything, does he? You're just... just a bloody pet dog!" With that, she turned and left Ichigo with a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Shit..."

* * *

"So, what's the deal with you and Ichigo?" Tatsuki asked, falling into step besides Ishida. "Two guys living alone in a house on their own... it's a _little _bit gay." She smirked, and Ishida returned the expression.

"You checking me out or him?"

"Don't worry." Tatsuki laughed. "You're not my type." She shoved her hands in her pockets. "He's a nice enough guy... and I know that Orihime fancied the pants off of him."

Ishida stopped. "Orihime?"

"Hm." Tatsuki smiled. "She was my roommate."

"Of course..." Ishida nodded. "She was a lovely girl. Awful cook though."

"You know she actually ate all that she made?" Tatsuki grinned. "She thought it was bloody brilliant!" Laughing, Tatsuki leaned against her door. "In all seriousness though... you two seem... distant. You act like you're normal but there's something..." She shook her head. "Sorry. I've been a bit off kilter recently."

Ishida sighed. "He's a good guy, definitely. But we all have secrets."

"You guys take care of yourselves, right? There's a lot of bad guys out there..." She bit her lip, and waved once before backing into the house.

"You too." Ishida said, mostly to himself. Then caught sight of a very angry green haired woman outside his front door. "Mai?" He asked, glancing around. "Where's Nell?"

Mai threw the DVD at him. "As if I'd let you anywhere near her! You filthy bastard!"

"Wha...?" Ishida glanced down at the DVD he held and his eyes widened. "Oh... no, Mai..."

"What's going on?" A builder walked over from a house further up, where he'd been loading his tools. "Is this man bothering you?"

"He's been _bothering _my twelve year old daughter!" Mai screamed, hysterically. "That... that _DVD _of a man, _writhing _naked on his bed!"

The builder eyed Ishida with a disgusted frown. "Dirty bastard."

"No. No, no, no, Mai, I can _explain_..."

"I think you should get out, mate." The Builder grabbed Ishida's arm and pushed him against the wall. "Don't you show your face for a while, alright?"

"But I _live _here." Ishida protested. "And I'm not a bloody paedophile!"

"You!" Ichigo's voice called. "I have to talk to you,_ mate._" He snarled, and Ishida pushed his glasses up his nose.

"Can it wait?" He frowned. "I'm kind of in the middle of something."

"Do you know about this?" Mai shouted, pointing at the DVD. "Are you in on it too? You nasty pervert!"

"What?!" Ichigo's eyes widened. "You... why am I a pervert?!"

"Showing bloody _filth_ to a twelve year old girl... You sick bastard!" Mai screamed, and a couple of passer-by's stopped to watch.

"No, Mai... she just..."

"I don't want to hear it!" Mai stormed, her eyes filling up with tears. "I thought you were a nice guy! But I suppose that's how your sort work, isn't it? Gain the parent's _trust_ and then... oh god..."

"Mai..."

"Fuck off, alright paedo?" The builder pushed him backwards. "I think you and your _mate _here'd better leave this street, you hear?"

"But I didn't _do _anything!" Ishida protested, and Ichigo grabbed his collar, pulling him inside and slamming the door.

"You are in _no _position to be claiming innocence!" Ichigo growled, shoving his friend against the wall. "What the _hell_ were you thinking?!"

"I just told her to grab a Laurel and Hardy DVD and then..."

"Raped and bit her?" Ichigo growled.

Ishida threw him off. "I'm not into kids! You know that!"

"...Eh?"

"What?"

"OW!" Ichigo yelled as a small ghost managed to kick him in the head and send him flying. "WHAT THE HELL?!"

"What are you doing?" Rukia seethed. "Why are you fighting?" She was flushed and breathing hard in anger, causing Ishida to raise an eyebrow.

"He..." Ichigo knelt on the floor. "He killed one of our friends!"

"...What." Rukia said, disbelievingly. "That's impossible."

"I beg to differ, I do have fangs..."

"Shut up!" Ichigo shouted. "How can you be so flippant?! You've fucked everything up! We can't be human if you keep killing our friends!"

"I'm not like you!" Ishida shouted back. "You're a wolf for one night a week but... the rest of the time it's gone! You don't need to deal with this... this _thirst_ every single fucking second of the day! It doesn't keep you up at night, and it doesn't make you want to lunge for everyone you pass in the street!"

"Then what's the point?!" Ichigo thundered, "If you can't do it... what's the point?"

Rukia slapped him.

"Fight, for god's sake!" She turned to Ishida, with tears in her eyes. "What... Can you fix this?"

"I don't know." Ishida slumped against the wall. "Nell's mother has publicly accused me of being a paedophile and I turned my friend into a vampire then left her to the mercy of the clan..." He lifted heavily shadowed eyes. "I think it's pretty fucked up."

"And that tape..." Ichigo closed his eyes.

"That was her?" Rukia's eyes widened. "Slut!" She glanced at Ichigo. "Sorry." She said, quickly, and he shook his head not to worry about it.

"I think it will have been Aizen who organised it." Ishida glanced up. "He's the leader of the clan."

The three remained silent for a while, and Rukia sighed. "Let's go out." Ishida said, suddenly, and Ichigo sat up.

"You're kidding."

"There's someone I've been wanting you to meet, Rukia." He met Ichigo's eyes. "It's in the town centre, so we'll be fine."

"Do we have to? There... there's monsters outside." Rukia mumbled, and Ichigo put an arm around her, which earned him a kick in the shins. "You're right Ishida." She amended. "Let's go."

* * *

The club was in the middle of 80's night.

Ishida insistently pushed Rukia through the crowd, with Ichigo following them closely, looking around in disgust.

"Rukia... this is Renji." Ishida smiled, and pushed her forwards towards the red haired man in leather. "You've got a lot in common."

"I-It's nice to meet you." Rukia shouted, over the music.

"Is it?" Renji growled, and Rukia's eyebrows rose at the guy's ridiculous eyebrow tattoos. "Hang the DJ!" He suddenly shouted, and Rukia's eyes widened, looking around for Ichigo and Ishida, who had disappeared. "That's from 1990! Everyone knows that!" He shook his head and glanced at Rukia. "Name's Renji Abarai."

"Rukia Kuchiki." Rukia replied, and reached for his hand. "You're dead?"

"Yep."

"In the 80's?"

"Yep."

"...right." Rukia crossed her arms. _Explains the clothes..._

* * *

"Are you sure she'll be ok?" Ichigo frowned. "That guy looked a bit... crazy. He had ridiculous hair."

"And orange is a perfectly normal colour." Ishida muttered.

"What's that?"

"Nothing, nothing."

"Damn straight." Ichigo grumbled, glancing at the two ghosts who had begun to chat a little. "I don't like him."

Ishida looked into his glass. "Well it's not as though you stand a chance." Ichigo flushed and began to protest loudly but Ishida held up a hand seriously. "She's dead; Ichigo... and she's still in love with our landlord... remember that."

"Whatever... paedo."

"I'm not a bloody paedophile!" Ishida shouted, just as the music cut out, and everyone turned around. Ishida laughed nervously and Ichigo smirked.

* * *

"So why do you live with those two?" Renji asked, inhaling deeply on his cigarette and flicking the but at a passing girl who 'inexplicably' caught on fire a little bit.

Rukia shrugged. "They moved in."

"Yeah but..." Here, Renji leaned down a little, looking more than a bit pissed off. "They're monsters, right? They kill people."

"Oh." Rukia laughed. "No, no, no... Ishida's quitting and Ichigo... he'd never hurt a fly."

"Ichigo's the orange haired one?" Renji glanced back and met Ichigo's eyes. "I don't like him." He decided.

Rukia nodded awkwardly. "So... Renji... What do you do for fun? When it's not 80's night."

Renji eyed her and shrugged. "Fun's such a bourgeois concept."

Rukia glanced around. "Okay... So why are you still here? Don't you want to move on?"

"Nah." Renji frowned. "It's good here. I had a mate once, got exorcised in the toilets."

"Really?" Rukia's eyes widened. "What happened?"

"Well he'd sing Andrew Lloyd Webber hits, right? And one minute he was giving it all "Music of the Night" and a prayer later... gone" Renji grinned. "Scary stuff right?"

"But... all ghosts have something unresolved right?"

Renji blinked. "I guess."

"So I need to find out what my unresolved... thing is." Rukia grinned and Renji blinked again, mouth dropping open. "Thanks Renji." She turned.

"Wait." Renji called, and grabbed a hold of her arm. "I'm gonna show you something."

"Why... are we here?" Rukia asked, pulling her cardigan closed. "This is..."

Renji took a drag from his cigarette and smirked. "We're going to the spot that will get rid of all your troubles." He said confidently, and guided her through the small gravel pathways until he came to a stop and held her in place. "Ishida told me you were having troubles. I want to help."

Rukia stared ahead, before tears welled up in her eyes. "That's..."

"Your gravestone."

Rukia swallowed hard.

_Rukia Kuchiki,_

_Beloved sister and fiancée._

_1988-2009_

(A-N- at this point in the original series, the atmosphere was broken with a brilliant one-liner from Annie saying "there's two e's in fiancée?" made me laugh so hard...)

"Amazing, isn't it?" Renji said, awed. "The peace you feel..."

"Peace?" Rukia choked. "I'm dead!"

"But look at the world around you." Renji insisted turning and breathing deeply. "When I first visited my grave, and when I looked at the world... it all became so much more beautiful."

Rukia looked up, refusing to cry. "I was ready to be married to the love of my life... how is that beautiful?"

Renji turned. "Right. Tell me about yourself. Tell me about Rukia."

"What?"

"I'm going to help you find your unfulfilled... thing and fulfil it, see?" Renji produced a notebook. "So what happened in your life?"

"Um..." Rukia floundered. "Well... my parents died before I left college, and my sister died after me... During college I met and fell in love with Kaien." She smiled. "We went out and I got a job after my A levels, working in a clothes boutique... the perfect job... when Kaien proposed, and I accepted, we decided to move." She paused briefly. "It meant leaving my job, but that was fine because Kaien thought I could be a great stay at home mum. Then..." She shrugged. "I died. End of story."

Renji sighed. "That was the most boring story I ever heard in my life."

"What."

"Yeah, hope no one ever makes a film of it, it wouldn't sell."

Rukia frowned. "You arrogant bastard!"

He grinned. "Now that attitude doesn't suit your story. I like that attitude." He threw his notepad down. "You need some fun, girl."

"I thought fun was a _bourgeois _concept?" Rukia mimicked, and Renji scowled.

"Nah." He sighed. "I'm talking about _Renji _fun."

Rukia smiled. "Does it involve bunnies?" She asked, and Renji looked at her as though she was insane.

"Definitely not."

Back at the house, the pipes gurgled insistently, and all of the taps began to leak.

* * *

**This ended sooner than I intended, but I have a lot to fit in, and if I spread it out, the story lasts longer right?**

**Is that a good thing?**

**I have no idea...**

**Whatever, I got into uni.**

**For more British goodness, review! And we get more hints as to why the house is just so vocal!**

**Sharp eye needed! Hints have been dropped already and in previous chapters!**


	8. Spit and Toilet blockages

**Here's the eighth chapter of Being Human, and so Rukia embarks on a bit of a mission with Renji to find out what her unfinished business is, and Ishida deals with the street thinking he's a paedophile.**

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WARNING- There is a bit of a shocking flashback at the end of the chapter in italics, even though it's not graphic. Just a warning.

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Massive thanks to all my Reviewers!!!

XxdaniXx (Anon)

**Mahappydance**

**Coffee Filters**

**Phoenixflamechimera78**

**GhibliGirl91**

**BleachFan4ever**

**Silhouette The SANVAE- for the MEGA LONG AWESOME review**

* * *

"What...?" Ishida's eyes widened as they approached the house.

The amber streetlight filtered golden hues over the painted walls of the converted pub and cast eerie shadows over the windows and doorway. The walls were covered in words written in paint, all offensive and all expressing how unwelcome the boys now were.

Ichigo growled and kicked the lamppost angrily. "How dare they? They have no fucking proof!"

Ishida rubbed the bridge of his nose. "This is all my fault."

"Yes! Yes it is! You _kept _that bloody DVD and put it in a Laurel and Hardy case!" Ichigo ran his hands through his hair, closing his eyes.

"I'm sorry." Ishida whispered. "I never intended..." He leaned close to one of the freshly painted words and sighed. "Paedo is not spelt with two E's!" He shouted, turning to the street where a few curtains twitched closed. "Bloody cretins."

"Is that really the problem here?" Ichigo asked, disbelievingly. "Don't you think that the more pressing problem is our imminent lynching?"

Ishida opened the door and the two men stepped over some broken glass into the house. "We might have to leave." He sighed. "But don't tell Rukia... we're all she has."

"Leave?" Ichigo spluttered. "How can you... no way." His eyes darkened. "We're not leaving her."

"She might leave us before we get that far." Ishida whispered. "Renji's trying to help her resolve any... unfinished business." The dark haired man picked up a full, cold cup of tea. "She might just go one day."

Ichigo whirled around, and Ishida blinked at the look in his eyes.

"I did tell you not to get too attached."

Meanwhile, Rukia's resolving of her business by having 'Renji fun' was not going as well as they hoped.

* * *

Rukia rolled her eyes as Renji swore at oblivious policemen in the street. "Fascist bastards!" He spat, and one policeman wiped his face and glanced up.

"Might start raining, mate." He mused, and his partner shrugged.

When Renji started dancing in typical 80's fashion to a song by the Smiths on his walkman tape player, while Rukia sat in silence on a bench, she felt the need to speak up.

"Oi, Renji!" She complained, and he looked around, taking off his headphones. "Are we... actually having Renji fun yet?"

The redhead scowled. "Of course." He said, and put his headphones back on.

At the prospect of more time spent having Renji fun, Rukia lunged forwards and took off Renji's headphones. "Um!" She cried. "I... don't think having Renji fun will help me to pass over."

"You're sure?" Renji frowned. "Alright then." He sighed. "So what do you think you want to do?"

"Well..." Rukia looked around and saw a young couple walking together. "That's it! I never got to be a wife to Kaien! If I can... I don't know... look after him and do all those little loving things that I never got a chance to do..."

"Ugh."

"Then maybe I can pass on!" Rukia grinned, and Renji looked away. "Let's go!"

Renji rolled his eyes. "You know, I think that this is an absolutely rubbish goal in life... don't you have a back bone?"

"You've never been in love, have you?" Rukia said, softly, and looked up at him with a gentle expression. "What I feel for Kaien is... it's all of me, not just a part of me. I _am_ my love for him."

They stopped by the house and Rukia paled at the sight of it, but said nothing. When she was inside, she picked up a glass bowl and turned to Renji with a flourish. "This is how we start." She announced, and placed the bowl in his hands. "Don't you dare drop that." She ordered, and flounced into the kitchen.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to cook him some boiled ham and parsley sauce. It's Kaien's favourite." She announced, and beamed at Ichigo, who was sipping a cup of coffee at the table. "I'm resolving my unfinished business!" She explained, running to the cooker and turning on the gas. "I'm going to be a real wife to Kaien."

Ichigo frowned. "That's your goal?"

"Hmm." She sighed happily. "You know... I haven't felt quite so happy in a long time, thank you Renji."

Ichigo eyed Renji angrily as the redhead blushed, pulling up the collar of his leather jacket and moving over to the stereo system and looking at it in interest. Rukia proceeded to take out the large ham, causing Ichigo to moan in protest. "That's mine!"

Rukia frowned. "Not anymore."

"I'm a vicious carnivorous animal, now give me my meat!"

She danced out of his grasp. "What were you going to do? Eat it _raw?_ There's only one day left on its _'best before'_!"

"So it won't be at its best..." Ichigo frowned. "It doesn't mean it's inedible! And besides... it was at a discounted price."

Rukia pulled a face and dropped the ham in the pan of boiling water. "Oops. Silly me."

"You...!"

"Oops." She smirked, as the little red glove came out **(From chapter 1!!!) **and Ichigo's body fell harmlessly to the floor.

"Hey!" Ichigo reached for the pan but his hand passed through. "That's not fair!"

"How so? We're both spirits now... it's probably fairer than it was before." She smirked and Renji laughed as Ichigo tried to frantically push her out of the way, only to cause slight pressure.

"I don't get it!" He growled. "A couple of months ago I could hit you back in this form and now..."

Renji put up one hand. "It's because she's so solid." He interjected, and grinned wolfishly. "You're in spirit form but she's so corporeal now that in this position you can't touch her."

Ichigo frowned. "Bitch."

Rukia slapped him. "Be nice." She commanded, and turned to Renji. "Is that true?"

"Yeah." Renji reached out and passed a hand through Ichigo, ignoring his string of protests. "I'm like this because I've been dead a while, but I still can't touch actual humans, or be seen. You've advanced incredibly quickly." He eyes the boiled ham. "You must have a lot of vengeance in you."

"Vengeance?" Rukia blinked. "I most certainly do _not_." She turned and proceeded to cook diligently. "I had an amazing life, and nothing particularly bad ever happened to me... apart from my death."

"It's the only explanation I can think of." Renji shrugged.

Ichigo frowned. "Couldn't it be because she's been exposed to Ishida and me? The supernatural's rubbing off on her, right?"

"You're kidding." Renji rolled his eyes. "I've been chatting with vampires and werewolves and the like for about twenty years." He smirked. "Don't get so self important, dog boy."

Rukia shrugged. "Whatever, you must be wrong."

Renji eyed her sadly. "If you say so."

"So what's your unfinished business then?" Ichigo asked, glaring at the newcomer. "OR can't you figure it out even after twenty years?"

Renji growled. "I know what it is. But I haven't been able to fix it."

"What- you never got those tickets to see The Smiths or something?"

"Nah..." Renji trailed off and returned both hands to hold the glass bowl carefully. "Nothing like that."

Rukia grinned. "I'm almost done boys."

"I'll come too." Ichigo got into his body and Rukia raised her eyebrows.

"Not like that. What would Kaien say if he saw you?" She packed the meal into a pot and closed the lid. "You're staying here."

"But-!"

"No." Renji nodded. "She's right. We'll be fine, I'll look after her."

Rukia elbowed him. "What am I? A cat? I'd be fine on my own." She stormed through the door and Renji sloped after her, glancing back at Ichigo once to see his stunned face.

"I don't think your boy likes rejection." He murmured as he walked close to the small young woman, who snorted.

"He's not _mine_ for god's sake. Ew. No, he's just like a kid, not wanting to be left behind." Rukia huddled the pot to her chest. "God it's cold."

"You can feel it?" Renji's eyebrows went up.

Rukia thought about it. "Yeah." She looked down. "I've not thought about the cold since I died but... I really need some new clothes."

"Well underwear and a dressing gown is hardly the best if you can feel the weather." Renji smirked.

The dark haired girl picked at her shorts. "Hmm. I've asked Ishida to make me something..."

"The vampire sews?" Renji laughed. "Brilliant."

Rukia stopped suddenly and looked up at a semi-detached house "This..."

"What?"

"I just followed the address Ishida gave me... I didn't realise..." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "This has always been Miyako's house."

The two ghosts stopped at the end of the drive before Rukia opened her eyes, her face set in determination. She stepped forwards confidently and headed towards the door, followed by Renji.

"Is this really worth it?" Renji urged. "The guy's set up with another girl... do you really want to put yourself through this?"

"You're asking me if he's worth it." Rukia looked up sincerely. "I have never loved anyone like I did Kaien." She smiled and stepped through the door.

Renji sighed. "Yeah... So you keep saying..."

They entered an empty hall and Rukia took the glass bowl from Renji's hands, placing it on the shelf beside the door. "For his keys." She smiled. "He'd always be forgetting his keys. First thing in the morning it's be _'Rukia! Where're my fucking keys?' _and I'd always say '_wherever you left them Tiger.' _I called him Tiger."

Renji followed her through the hall, looking around with interest just as she stopped.

"We were going to get that shoe rack for _our_ house... I saw it in the IKEA catalogue." She steeled herself and continued into the kitchen, putting the pot carefully on the countertop. "And upstairs." She proceeded, dancing up the carpeted staircase with a small, determined, set smile.

Renji frowned at a picture on the side, inspecting the small image of the dark haired man. "Hey... this guy looks like the werewolf, don't you think?"

"What?" Rukia called. "No way. He's _much _better looking."

"I don't know..." Renji squinted. "His eyes are a little weird..."

_WHAM_

"Are you done?"

"Did you throw a _shoe _at me?!"

Rukia stomped back upstairs, carefully arranging an outfit for Kaien on the bed, and tidying the room, pointedly ignoring a lacy black thing that would _only_ fit Miyako's grotesquely perfect body.

"She's just a rebound." Rukia smirked. "He chose me first."

Coming downstairs, she set about arranging the cutlery. "How do the knives end up mixed in with the spoons?" She muttered, glancing around. "God, the counter needs a wipe down..."

A bottle of Cillit Bang later Rukia was getting out the Hoover.

"What are you... you're going to Hoover the floor, too?" Renji groaned. "How domestic do you want to be?"

"Very, actually." Rukia frowned. "If I'd made it to being a housewife I could've done these things and... and maybe even raised a child... or five."

"Five."

"Kaien wanted a big family."

"Oh _really?_ Because I thought it was all up to _you_." Renji scowled, but was cut off as the door opened.

Eyes shining, Rukia called out. "Keys!" as Kaien paused in the doorway, looked around at the glass bowl, and dropped his keys in.

When he stepped into the lounge, he grinned dazedly and took off his jacket, throwing it over the sofa before sitting back and eyeing the room with a pleased expression. "Woah." He murmured below his breath. "When..."

Rukia moved to stand in front of him, smiling hugely down at her fiancée in a manner that exuded so much joy that Renji found himself fighting a blush.

After a while of watching Kaien watching TV Rukia took Renji to one side.

"Thank you so much for all of this." She smiled, holding onto his shoulders. "Could you tell the boys that I love them... I miss them..."

"What? You're not going back?"

"Well not now." Rukia bit her lip. "This is what I'm meant to do, I know it. I'll probably visit at some point but this is pretty much it." She leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

Renji was left with nothing else to do but to return to the house and pass on her message.

* * *

"You know..." Tatsuki frowned as she joined Ichigo and Ishida walking to work. "I've been hearing things about you two."

Ishida rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I can assure you it's not true." He sighed. "Just..."

"Is this that secret you mentioned?" She continued, eyeing them warily. "'Cause I don't want to have to notify the chief of medicine..."

"It's not." Ichigo looked at her pleadingly. "It's really not... Our secret is... something else."

"Well?" Tatsuki skipped ahead a little and began to walk backwards, watching them. "What is it then? It can't be as bad as..."

"Please." Ishida held up a hand. "We can sort this out... just give us time."

Tatsuki shrugged. "Hey, I don't believe it... but you have to admit, you never know." And she hurried on ahead without looking back.

Ichigo thrust his hands into his pockets. "I don't even want to be walking with you." He muttered.

"I told you it was an accident." Ishida frowned. "She's with the clan now... they're taking care of her."

"Taking care-?!" Ichigo looked around and lowered his voice to a hiss. "Taking care of her? She's not a dog..."

"No, that's you." Ishida retorted, glaring at his friend. "I didn't mean to bite her but... it's difficult for me to separate sex and feeding. I just can't."

Ichigo looked away. "Then abstain from both until you can. I've managed."

He stormed off down the corridor and Ishida rolled his eyes. "You think an attitude like that will get Rukia back?" When he received no answer he turned and headed away.

* * *

In the corner shop, Ishida was filling up his basket when he bumped into the shop keeper, who crossed his arms and scowled.

"We don't need custom from _your_ sort in here." He said roughly, grabbing the basket.

Ishida looked round to see all of the other customers staring at him, hostility radiating off of them in waves. "Whatever." He sighed, and pushed his way out, hurrying past the two kids who'd been picking on Nell before.

A warm, wet trickle splashed on the back of his neck and he whirled to see one of the boys- the one with the zigzags- grinning, with some spit trickling down his chin.

"Oh my god that's disgusting." He pulled a face and the other kid spat at him in turn, getting his shirt front.

"A'right paedo?" He called, and high-fived his friend as Ishida turned and stormed down the street.

Outside the house was bad too; a crowd had gathered and were chanting "Paedo's out." In unison, with cardboard signs. Ishida tugged his collar up and got to his door as small stones started to be thrown at him, and the chanting evolved into shouting and swearing as the crowd jeered at him.

"It's horrid out there." He said to Ichigo as he closed the door. Ichigo was bundling his top into the washing machine as Ishida moved to the sink out of desperation to get the spit and gravel off himself. "It's like a mob."

"You know, I used to watch those vampire films..." Ichigo said, watching as Ishida twisted the tap to no avail. "... and I would look at the torch-wielding mobs and think 'Thank god that doesn't happen'... but it does, doesn't it? That's what that lot out there..." He indicated to a woman shouting through the window. "That's what they are."

"That's humanity for you." Ishida hissed, throwing his jacket to the floor and using his top to wipe himself down. "That's the entire fucking human race, just following whatever the masses do."

Ichigo watched his friend in silence. "Rukia's gone... we could move."

"Move where? It's the same wherever you go." Ishida whispered. "The bastards."

The house trembled and groaned in response.

The pipes clanked and gurgled louder than ever.

* * *

Kaien looked up and smiled as his girlfriend entered the room. "Hey."

"Hey." Miyako smiled appreciatively, looking around the room in amazement. "How're you?"

Rukia mimed gagging in the background, and leaned across the coffee table with a pout. "Bitch." She muttered, and Miyako's face fell.

"Kaien?"

"Hm?" Kaien looked up. "Nah, I feel great." He put out one arm and his girlfriend settled down beside him. "I just wanted to thank you for everything you did today. I think it really says a lot about how thoughtful you are."

Miyako glanced around. "What? What do you mean thoughtful... oh. _Oh._" She smirked. "You mean that lacy black teddy I bought for our anniversary?"

Rukia stood up, horrified, and stomped into the kitchen, leaning against the doorframe with her eyes squeezed shut, breathing hard to calm herself. _The little slag!_

Miyako continued. "Or when I'm extra _thoughtful _and I do that thing you like with..."

"No." Kaien laughed. "I mean the tidying. I mean the bowl for my keys, putting my clothes out..."

"What?" Miyako smiled nervously. "I never did anything like that..."

"If you didn't then who...?" Rukia threw the pan lid across the room, causing the spice rack to fall to the floor, shattering the little glass pots everywhere. "What the hell?"

Furious, Rukia breathed on the window and wrote with her finger.

_Happy anniversary, Tiger._

She opened the window and the cold draught made Kaien look up from the broken glass.

Rukia watched as he visibly paled and dashed forwards, slamming the window shut.

"You alright, Kaien?" Miyako called, and Kaien wiped the window clean with his sleeve.

"Fine!" He called, stepping back from the window, eyes darting around the room. "A cat got in through the window, that's all."

"That's weird." Miyako mused. "Do you want to go upstairs? I could be extra _thoughtful _with you tonight..."

"Later!" Kaien all but shouted, eyes searching the room frantically. "Maybe later honey... I... I'm really tired tonight."

"You're sure?" Miyako got up and stretched. "That's fine too, I suppose..."

Kaien ushered her upstairs, but not before spotting Rukia's reflection in the glass of the bowl holding his keys.

Sulkily, Rukia sat down heavily on the sofa.

"That didn't really go how I'd hoped..." She sighed.

* * *

Late that night, Rukia looked up at the sound of Kaien getting his keys from the bowl. When she got up to look, she saw him with a rucksack.

"What're you doing, Tiger?" She mused, watching him grab his jacket and quietly, carefully open the door, glancing upstairs to check that he hadn't woken Miyako.

Rukia followed Kaien down the road, turning left, left again, then right...

"Why are we going to the house?" She asked, as Kaien let himself in through the door that stank of mouldy vegetables and spray paint, and made his way upstairs.

"What're you doing in the bathroom?" She asked, as he bent down in front of the toilet and got out a step-by-step guide to plumbing. "Working so late?"

She leaned against the door and smiled softly as she watched his unscrew the pipe behind the toilet and place it on a dirty sheet. He dug into it with gloved hands, muttering a groan of disgust as he did so before grinning and pulling out a brown piece of lacy material.

"Got ya." He sighed, and chuckled quietly.

Rukia however, had paled.

As Kaien hastily packed together his things, she was lost in memory.

"_What's this then, you little slut?" Kaien demanded as he pulled her out of the bedroom. "Thought you'd buy a little thong like this to please him, huh?"_

"_No! No, there's no-one else Kaien, I swear!" Rukia cried as he shoved her against the wall, rubbing the new thong in her face._

"_Was he good, Princess? Did he make you come?"_

"_No! No, Kaien you're hurting me!"_

"_Shut up!" He shook her, hard, and she hit her head on the wall. "Making a fucking fool of me, huh? Did you laugh at me while you fucked him?"_

_Desperate, Rukia pushed him away from her and slapped him. "Stop it!" She cried, eyes wide as they both stopped._

_Kaien put a hand to his cheek and stared at her._

"_Kai..." Rukia whispered, backing away. "No... Kaien I'm sorry... I didn't mean..."_

"_You vicious bitch." He seethed, throwing the thong down the toilet and flushing it. "How dare you..." And he grabbed her by the neck, shaking her hard. "You cheating little liar."_

_And he pushed her._

Dazed, Rukia watched Kaien walk down the stairs without any hesitation, even stepping on the cracked tile where she broke her skull.

"You were the one..." She whispered as tears made their way down her cheeks. "You were the one who killed me..."

* * *

**Who saw that coming? I didn't... When I saw the episode first time my mouth was open so wide...**

**But when you look back, there are the tiniest hints...**

**So the house has told it's story but Rukia's unfinished business is still unfinished, Renji needs to get something off his chest and Ishida needs to clear his name...**

**And the vampires' time is still coming.**

**Review and I'll clear Ishida's name! OR! I'll kick Kaien's ass (this version of Kaien... not the real one who's just lovely)**


	9. The Tables are Turning

**Wow, I got a load of reviews last chapter! It inspired me to write more as soon as possible. I was so ready for a list of complaints about what I've done to Kaien (even though I'm a little bit in love with the real one) but the only person who complained was my little sister!!! So the thanks due to...**

**Coffee Filters- **It does make sense, thank you for the compliment! Renji fun is the best kind of fun...

**Silhouette the SANVAE- **Another mega-awesome-long review!!! I'm sorry I left Ichi out so I'm giving him a Rukia plushie to spend his time with and comfort... Hehe

**.princess—**Haha I never thought of it like that... but I suppose you can't kill someone and not have them kill you back. (Thinks) That made more sense in my head.

**Phoenixflamechimera78- **I'll make an "and" option just for you (smiles) and YAY! Go watch it =D I'm so psyched for season 2 when they bring it out...

**GhibliGirl91- **(Fangirls) How cute would that be?! I'm glad you like how it's going so far!!! (And thank you!

**FionaH93- **(sigh) Family is so difficult to please- CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR GCSE RESULTS!!!

**Kurou-chan- **Updating... and the Ishihime is so close!

**Nekura Enzeru- **Haha I know how you feel but murder is a little excessive... Or is it?

**Twilightlvr5- **Hehe thanks!

**(Anon) Miss Death God- **Thank you for reviewing one of the chapters anyway (grin) Man... You're all so violent towards Kaien... means I did a good job of writing that, right?

**(Anon) XxDaniXx- **Haha she sure does... I look forward to it!

**Marin M- **Definitely fate! I'm so glad you're watching it XD it's amazing. There're a few reviewers saying that this story made them watch the original series and it's really great.

**Bleachfan4ever- **Haha thank you. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

**DEATHCARNATION- **Thanks very much (grins) I'm sorry about Kaien but it had to be done...

* * *

When Ichigo came down to the kitchen that day, he found Rukia curled up on a chair.

"What's wrong, midget?" He started, but she kept her head down. "Uh..." He moved to sit across the table from her. "What happened? I thought you were resolving your death?"

There was a small hiccup from the girl and he leaned forwards, putting a hand on her arm.

"Rukia?"

The dark haired girl muttered something into her arms, and Ichigo frowned.

"What?"

"I said tell Ishida to get me some damn clothes!" She shouted, glaring at him. "I'm sick and tired of wearing the same bloody outfit I wore to bed one night!" She threw herself at the kettle and began frantically making more cups of tea. Ichigo's eyes widened as he took in the state of the kitchen.

"How many mugs do we _have?_" He breathed incredulously. "Rukia, are you..."

"Go!" She whirled around and glared at him. "I want something to wear!"

Ichigo glanced at the calendar. _It's not PMS..._ But when a fork embedded itself in the wall beside his head, he decided to run for backup.

AKA the sewing vampire.

* * *

Renji returned to the house when the other two had left for work, stopping in the doorway with a concerned expression. The young woman refused to look at him and he sighed, knocking twice on the wood.

"Can I come in?" He glanced at her new dress. "Yellow suits you, by the way."

She shrugged, and kept her mouth shut as he slowly paced the room and sat down on the sofa across from her, watching her closely.

"Ishida told me what happened. Do you want to talk about it?"

"The house stinks of rotten fruit." Rukia finally sighed. "These Paedophile allegations are getting out of hand."

"Rukia." Renji put his hands on either side of her face, looking her in the eyes. "It's okay to cry."

She met his eyes fiercely, with a determined frown. He grinned briefly.

"Atta girl." He sat back and looked at her expectantly. "Now, when I was alive... I never loved anyone like you did him... and sometimes I wonder if that's what's keeping me here."

Rukia was silent for a minute, and then swallowed hard. "He never loved me."

"What?" Renji frowned. "He proposed didn't he?"

"To make me 'his', yes..." She closed her eyes. "It wasn't... that night wasn't the first time he hurt me." Renji noticed that her hands were shaking as they gripped her thighs. "He wasn't like that when I met him- well... he was dark and moody but more... playful. But he would... hurt me." She met his eyes. "A lot."

"Oh god..." Renji moved to sit beside her. "Have you told Ichigo and Ishida this?"

"No." She shook her head. "I think they figured it out." She laughed bitterly. "When Urahara grabbed me one time... I called him Kaien." She bit her lip. "I always knew, subconsciously... and the house!" She shook her head. "The house was always trying to remind me... Ishida thinks that it's become a part of me."

"It might have."

"The man I loved... _killed_ me..." She whispered, dazed, and looked at him, confused. "Am I that difficult to love? Am I so... horrific that...?"

"No!" Renji urged, leaning forwards and holding her face. "Never think that, Rukia. God, you're... the most amazing girl I ever met. Your brother loves you, your sister... Ishida and Ichigo..." He swallowed. "And me."

She looked at him.

"I love you."

"What...?" Rukia trailed off and looked over his shoulder, frowning in puzzlement. "What's that?"

They both looked at the door that had appeared in the corner, and Renji's hands fell away from Rukia's face. The girl got up and walked towards it hesitantly.

"That wasn't there before..." She whispered, turning to him as she reached for the handle.

Renji swallowed. "Don't." He ordered, and stood up. "It's for me."

Rukia stared at him. "No..."

"All this time... and all I needed to do was meet you, Rukia Kuchiki." He smiled softly and kissed her on the cheek, which was now wet with tears. "Do me a favour, princess." He whispered, voice cracking with his own tears. "When I open it... Don't look inside."

Rukia nodded, closing her eyes and stepping back before opening them and smiling. "Go on then, idiot."

Laughing, Renji opened the door.

It opened so that he was half hidden from Rukia's sight, and all she could see was the expression of wonder and amazement on his face before, entranced, he stepped through.

Rukia blinked once, and the door was gone again.

* * *

"Mr Uryuu?"

Ishida looked up and scowled. "What do you want, Aizen?"

"Ah, ah, ah... I'm here on business today, Ishida." Aizen smiled wanly. "Shall we get a drink?"

The two men headed for the counter of the cafeteria and Aizen smirked at the woman behind the counter, a shy young woman who, Ishida mused, looked a lot like Momo.

"Hot chocolate please." Aizen asked, and the girl blushed. "Say, what do you do here? Only serve staff?"

"Oh no..." the girl shook her head. "Visitors and patients too. Late at night though it's mostly the parents from the children's ward... You can always spot those. They come in turns; you see... and never drink their coffee."

"Well I'm sure they appreciate all that you do for them." Aizen charmed, and held out the fiver.

"Um... that's alright." The girl smiled. "I'll cover it."

"Thank you." The policeman smiled, and turned away. "I wonder what those parents would want, given the choice..." He mused aloud, and smiled at Ishida. "Would they choose immortality for their horribly mortal child?"

"Not if they knew everything." Ishida frowned.

"You chose it."

"How can you possibly say that? I was protecting my men!"

"Oh yes." Aizen smirked. "How noble of you... Casting age and death aside in favour of forever youth and beauty while your _comrades_ withered away in old folks homes stinking of urine and stale flesh." He frowned. "Don't dress it up Ishida. We had good times together once..."

"Not now." Ishida stated firmly. "Never again."

Aizen suddenly smiled. "Fine. If you don't mind sitting down, sir, I have a few questions for you."

"Questions?"

Aizen raised his eyebrows and looked around innocently. "You... You didn't actually think this was just a costume, surely? I have a job to do, and we've received some very serious allegations against you, Mr Uryuu." He leaned forward, smirking. "I told you it was cold out there without us."

Ishida sighed. "You know it's not true."

"No I don't." Aizen shrugged. "You're not the man I knew. For that man I could've... overlooked such a smear on his character." He smiled. "But I don't know you. And you're not one of mine."

Ishida swallowed. "Fine. Ask away."

"Another time, perhaps." Aizen smiled. "I'll visit again soon."

He took a gulp of hot chocolate and frowned, spitting it back into the cup.

"My God... that's absolutely awful." He laughed. "That is... bloody terrible. Ugh. No wonder those parents never drink it." Still laughing, he got up and left, winking at the counter assistant as he left.

* * *

Late that night, the doorbell rang.

"Kaien." Ichigo growled standing up quickly, muscles tensed. "Bastard."

Ishida got up. "Ichigo. Calm down." He glanced at Rukia. "Are you alright?"

Rukia nodded tightly, and got up. "But I can't see him." She paled as the doorbell rang again and disappeared upstairs.

"Hi." Kaien grinned, stepping inside with Miyako in tow. "How're you guys holding up?"

"You've heard then?" Ishida murmured, checking the street before locking the door.

"And seen. Are you going to clean that up outside?" He continued. "Oh, and this was on your doorstep." He indicated a brown envelope held by Miyako, who smiled and handed it over.

"Thanks." Ishida smiled, and Ichigo stood at the bottom of the stairs, blocking Kaien off. Taking the envelope, Ishida opened it carefully and looked inside. "Oh my god..." He held it away from his face. "That's horrible."

Ichigo stepped forwards but recoiled before even reaching it. "Is that..."

"They _pooed_ in an _envelope_." Ishida held it between his fingertips.

"Animals." Ichigo growled. "But they've got impressive aim."

"I'm going to... oh god." Ishida frowned. "Throw this out." He passed it to Ichigo who stared at him in horror.

"You throw it out!"

"I don't want to."

Kaien smirked. "The taps are working now, then?"

The two men stared at him, and Ichigo muttered something under his breath before shoving past Kaien to put the envelope in the bin. Ishida eyed Miyako, who was staring at her hands in horror. "I feel sick." She whispered, and Kaien rolled his eyes.

"Go and wash then, for god's sake anyone would think you like touching envelopes of excrement."

Before Miyako could reply, or burst into tears, Ishida smiled at her. "I doubt you'll have any on your hands... As I said they had good aim. Come on, we'll go and use the sink."

She smiled gratefully at him and they left Kaien alone in the lounge.

The dark haired man shoved his hands deep into his pocket and grinned around the room. "Sure brings back memories, eh?" He sauntered over to the cracked tile and prodded it with his shoe. "Silly girl."

"Who?" Ichigo asked coldly, standing in the doorway.

"Miyako." Kaien laughed. "She touched a sealed envelope and freaked out."

"Right." Ichigo frowned, and his gaze flickered upstairs.

"So anyway... We've had some complaints about you guys."

"Now that was a misunderstanding." Ichigo frowned. "Ishida had the DVD in the wrong case and forgot about it..."

"Hey, hey..." Kaien smiled lazily. "I understand. I mean... I used to keep some proper ripe stuff all over the place when I lived here with Rukia. Hid it in my Red Dwarf box sets- the missus never caught on." He winked and Ichigo had never felt the need to punch someone so hard in his life.

"Right." He grated.

Kaien went on. "But we need to keep good relations with the neighbours, and... well, you understand."

"And of course we thought it could be time that we move in." Miyako finished, re-entering and attaching herself to Kaien's arm. "I mean, it makes no sense to rent my house and rent this one out. Right?"

Kaien frowned. "Be a little more careful with your words." He clipped. "I never said we'd be moving in."

"But what about when we want children?" She frowned. "It makes sense..."

"Leave the sense to me." Kaien sighed.

"Do you mind if we look upstairs?" Miyako produced a tape measure. "To measure up?"

"Um..." Ichigo looked to Ishida desperately, but Miyako had already rushed upstairs with Kaien in tow. "What're we going to do?" He hissed to his friend. "If Rukia freaks out..."

"We have to hope that she doesn't." Ishida sighed. "Volatile as she is..."

"Oh my god." Miyako pouted. "I know I'm not supposed to speak ill of the dead but Rukia didn't have the best of taste, did she?" She eyed the bunny printed wallpaper and took out a tape measure.

Rukia curled up under the bed with her eyes shut. _Get out... Go away..._

"Well we only really ever saw this as a junk room." Kaien justified, looking around with a scowl, and Rukia's eyes snapped open.

"No we didn't." She stated, coming out from under the bed. "This was _supposed _to be a nursery!"

Kaien watched silent and bored as Miyako measure the windows.

"Of course... this could always be a nursery." Miyako pondered.

"You bastard!" Rukia screamed, and the light bulb exploded, showering Miyako and Kaien in glass.

"Oh my god!" Miyako shrieked, and put a hand to her heart. "That made me jump."

"Let's go." Kaien frowned, turning.

Miyako shook her head. "I just need to..."

"Now!" Kaien grabbed her roughly by the hair and threw her ahead of him, slamming the door behind him.

"There he is..." Rukia smirked, standing alone amidst shattered glass and broken memories. "There's the Kaien I remember."

* * *

The day was littered with abuse and offense. Two windows had been smashed, and another letter filled with excrement had been charmingly delivered.

There was usually someone outside their house with a cardboard sign, and one baby had been holding a sign while munching on chocolate. "It's ridiculous. Why use a baby to advertise paedophiles? It's sick." Ishida sighed. "It's almost eleven and there's a young family out there."

"I'm sick of it." Ichigo muttered. "I want to be able to go to the shops; I want to go for a drink round the corner. I want to go home."

Ishida watched his friend lay out on the sofa and sighed. "Back to Leicester? I thought you couldn't risk it."

"I hate to say it but Urahara and Yoruichi taught me that this _thing _can be manageable." Ichigo mused, and stared at the ceiling. "I want to see my sisters and my dad..." He bit his lip.

"And Senna?" Ishida asked, quietly, and Ichigo sighed.

"I don't think so. She has someone else anyway..."

"Yes, but you don't need to be in love with someone to see them."

Ichigo's eyes narrowed and Ishida removed his glasses, coolly cleaning them with his eyes carefully down. He didn't ask the question. He didn't need to.

Ichigo groaned. "I don't think I love her now." He sighed. "But I'm not sure why."

"Maybe if you saw her again..."

"No." Ichigo turned to look at him. "It wouldn't make a difference. I'm certain."

Ishida smirked. "Anyone else caught your eye?"

Ichigo's inevitable swearing was cut off as both of them sniffed the air. "Something's burning."

"The bastards." Ishida hissed. "They've set fire to the house!" The two men jumped up and dashed around to the back garden which, although small and walled, went out to the allotments and could be fairly easily accessed. They threw open the door and stopped short.

"Rukia?"

The dark haired girl was burning a pile of photos and trinkets. "This is the end." She smirked. "After this, I am not in love with him, and he is _dead_ to me."

"You think this is your unfinished business?" Ishida started, but Ichigo exploded.

"We thought the house was burning down!" He shouted. "What the fuck?"

"Oh, shut up." Rukia scowled. "I still have no idea what I'm supposed to do but this feels like a step forward, you know? Like I'm not just... static."

"It's fine..." Ichigo grumbled, unconvincingly. "Be careful though, alright?"

"As if I can be burned." Rukia smirked. Ishida shrugged and headed inside, leaving the two flirty-birds outside in the garden to gripe at each other.

* * *

The lounge was dark and lonely as he entered- with not even the noise from outside coming through the broken window. Ishida glanced outside to check that the coast was clear before turning on the lights.

"Ishida."

He turned quickly and hurried to the door, checking the identity of his visitor through the window. "Nell?" He groaned, opening the door. "What are you doing here?"

"It's all my fault, Ishida I'm sorry!"

"What? What are you talking about?"

"I knew it was the wrong DVD as soon as I put it on but I kept watching it!" She glanced about tearfully. "I've caused all this trouble and..."

"Nell, go home." Ishida hissed. "If someone sees you here..."

"Oi!" Ishida's eyes closed in surrender as one of the neighbours approached him angrily. "Who do you think you are?" A few people were coming out of their houses at the noise, and all of them looked unfriendly.

"No, really..." Nell started, but one of the crowd grabbed her and tugged her away from Ishida.

The woman who had done so regarded Ishida with contempt. "You're sick, you know that? Scum like you should be drowned at birth."

"Stop it! Please!" Nell cried, tugging at the hand holding her.

"Neliel!" Mai's voice carried more than any of the others. "Get here _now_!"

"Mum!" She looked at Ishida anxiously. "I'm going to sort this out. I'll tell everyone the truth."

The following events happened in slow motion for Ishida, as though he were watching a movie step by step.

Nell glanced back at him and motioned for him to wait, and then she turned to her mum.

Mai beckoned for her to get there _now_.

Nell darted out across the road.

And no one but Ishida noticed the car coming.

"Nell!"

* * *

Ichigo and Rukia both reacted at the same time to the squeal of tyres and sudden silence outside.

Ichigo grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the front of the house at a run, and Rukia started panicking. "What have they done now?"

They both reached the door unable to see Ishida for the crowd outside the house. A few people were on their phones and the rest were in stunned silence. Ichigo actively attempted to push through the crowd as Rukia huddled her arms and stood still.

"What happened here?" She wondered aloud, and an old woman shook her head.

"A kiddie was hit, love."

Rukia blinked, and stared at the woman. "You can see me?"

The woman frowned. "What? Oh, these..." She indicated her dark glasses and shrugged. "They're just an affectation."

Ichigo came back and took Rukia's hand. "Don't look."

"What happened? Who got hit? Where's..."

"Don't." Ichigo closed his eyes and pulled Rukia to his chest. "Don't look, don't ask... I don't want to tell you..."

Rukia was stunned for a moment, but upon regaining her senses she put her arms around Ichigo's waist and buried her head in his chest. "Okay." She whispered into the rough wool of his jumper. "Okay..."

* * *

**Right, that's the end of that chapter... No, I'm joking! You'd string me up or something... Since I'm not going to be able to update for a while cause my internet's leaving me I'll continue this chapter to the end of the story arc.**

**Never say I don't love you guys.**

**Review extra hard because I'm so good to you (Grin).**

* * *

"Excuse me." Ishida said softly, knocking once on the door. "How is she doing?"

Mai regarded him with a cold glare, softened only by the tears she was unsuccessfully holding back. "I'm not an idiot, despite what you might think." She gripped the still girl's hand that little bit tighter. "I know she won't wake up from a coma like this."

"There is a chance..."

"No." Mai regarded him steadily. "The damage is too severe. She's brain de-..." Unable to finish the word, Mai began to sob into her hand.

Ishida sat down and bit his lip. "Mai." He began. "I'm not a paedophile."

Mai nodded, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. "She tried to tell me but... Oh god, I'm such a fool..."

Ishida sat down across from her. "What would you do if I told you that I could save her?"

"No one can."

"But... Death isn't the end, Mai, I'm proof of that."

"Please!" Mai cried, fixing him with traumatised, tear-filled eyes. "Don't give me that miracle, born-again crap!"

"That car hit two people. I'm a vampire, Mai." Ishida urged. "I was hit just as hard as Nell, but I'm still here."

She stood up. "Don't insult me when my daughter is dying. Please leave."

Ishida took the compact mirror from her bag and held it up, moving to stand beside her. "Where am I, Mai? Why aren't I beside you?"

For a long minute, Mai was speechless. "That day you took Nell bowling..."

"What?"

"You didn't have a reflection then either." She whispered. "So by saving her you mean..."

"Turning her into a vampire." Ishida sighed. "Yes. But the choice is yours. She wouldn't age, and she'd live forever."

Mai bit her lip, tears rolling down her cheeks afresh. "You don't look like a happy man, to me, Ishida Uryuu. Can you honestly tell me that Nell would thank me for changing her?" Wide, solemn eyes met his. "Can you honestly say that you're happy?"

Ishida, for once, had nothing to say except. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Mai smiled sadly, and reached forwards, stroking his cheek. "I hope you find happiness one day, Ishida. You are not a bad man."

"I am." He sighed. "But thank you."

The next day Nell's hospital bed was empty.

* * *

"How's he doing?" Rukia whispered, handing Ichigo a cup of tea.

The orange haired man sighed. "I have no idea. He's barely been in the house."

"Where does he go?"

"Who knows?" Ichigo sipped his tea and smiled at Rukia briefly. "At least the abuse has stopped." He glanced at the new glass window. "And Kaien's not evicting us anymore... It seems he's reluctant to move in."

"Probably because Miyako wants children." Rukia growled. "The jerk's acting nice and sympathetic to you two but he's holding out on her."

"What do you think you're going to do? You've not passed on..." Ichigo sighed. "You're going to stay with us?"

Rukia smirked, looking down. "Of course I couldn't infringe on you two anymore than I've done already."

"I don't mind." Ichigo said quickly. When Rukia looked up at him he blushed. "We! We don't mind."

"Alright." Rukia smiled to herself. "I understand... but I will find out what I'm meant to do... even if I have to haunt Kaien to madness."

Ichigo watched her, steadily. "And I'll help."

"Thank you."

"Thank you." He smiled.

* * *

"Well, I suppose this is goodbye." Mai fiddled with a stand of curly blue-green hair. "Thank you for all you've done."

"I'm sorry I couldn't do more."

"I..." Mai swallowed. "I made the right choice... didn't I?"

"You made the best choice you could." Ishida took her hand and she gasped, closing her eyes.

"You're cold."

"I know."

Mai gripped his hand tightly, and opened her eyes, looking past him.

The diminutive girl with short green hair smiled. "Mum."

Mai nodded, and released Ishida's hand. "You okay?"

"Mm." Nell glanced at Ishida. "Thanks."

"What about..." Mai swallowed. "What about when I..."

"There are others, like her, who will look after her." Ishida assured. "The bond between our kind is strong." He met her eyes. "But she'll need you... to keep her human. Sane."

Mai nodded, and closed her eyes. "Goodbye Ishida."

The dark haired man waved as the two got on the train with their suitcases, their lives in two small bags. And he sighed.

"Humanity has lost its shine?" He turned to look at the unusually sombre redhead. "Aizen's looking forward to seeing you again."

"Yes." Ishida said, his eyes cold. "I've seen what humanity really is... and we are above it."

Smiling, Orihime took his hand. "Let's go."

Ishida bent and quickly kissed her. "Let's go." He breathed.

* * *

**Ooh! Ishihime and Ichiruki finally becoming more prominent! This will be it for a while, so show your support through lengthy, loving reviews!**

**Next chapter... Rukia begins her revenge!**


	10. Revenge is a dish?

**Yo Readers! It's the 10th chapter!!! We made it a... dechapter! (Like dec- and chapter) I like the end of this so I'm not putting a AN at the end... please review anyway!!!**

**As you can see we've got interweb access in my home and I got some super-awesome reviews last chapter! As such... I'm gonna reply to said reviews.**

**GhibliGirl91- **It's very sad of me, but I giggled a bit at 'flirty-birds' too. I'm absurdly pleased that you got shivers at the 'there's the Kaien I remember' and I hope THAT line lives up to your expectations (grin).

**DEATHCARNATION- **Hehe I'm so pleased you liked it! I was aiming for the sad kind of thing but I'm not great at that kind of thing... (Sigh).

**Silhouette the SANVAE- **I don't know that review was still pretty epic! Haha they're always so enthusiastic I love it!

**(Anon) Miss Death God- **Rukia's revenge will be pretty epic, not least cause of exploding light bulbs! Haha, furry-boy... I love it.

**.princess- - **I know, but at least it's making her more badass, whereas I was worried about making her too wimpy before. (Smile)

**Kurou-chan- **Will do! More Ishihime coming right up!!!

**(Anon) XxdaniXx- **Haha I'm back now! And I'm glad you enjoyed it, I was so worried that this chapter was too bland!

**BleachFan4ever- **Haha I'm sorry about that prank, but I kinda had to XD I'm sorry I ruined Kaien for you (shame) I apologise massively.

**Mahappydance- **It makes me stupidly happy that you think this gets better and better (grin) and I'm sorry Kaien was a jerk... But it's a good twist!

**Nekura Enzeru- **Thank you very much! The envelope thing was in the original series so... oh! Actually in the original, George says "Who the hell does that?" So I missed it out... Damn (cries)

**Marin M- **Aw I know, Renji tries so hard to be tough... but we all know he's adorable.

* * *

"And so the Hotel manager turns up, and he just kind of... stops." Aizen laughed. "So I was there, cigarette in hand, and Ishida... well Ishida's face was _covered_ with blood and there's this girl lying dead on the bed and... and Ishida says 'Ah! _Tomb_ service'!"

The vampires laughed and Aizen grinned, pleased.

"All together now, remember..."

"No one get's left behind." The vampires chorused.

"And so... we welcome back Ishida." Aizen lifted his glass. "To a great friend and one of the greatest vampires I know."

Ishida smirked with his arm slung across Orihime's hips as the other vampires toasted him, repeating his name.

"There was this one time..." Aizen laughed to himself. "Hey, Ishida, remember that time with the two lesbians in the seventies?"

"Good times." Ishida tugged Orihime closer and she leant her head on his shoulder. "What about that lawyer we both jumped in the sixties? He practically handed his wife to us."

"And we still killed him! Oh, which reminds me, she's coming by later." Aizen smirked. The funeral parlour was filled with members of the clan, all there in honour of Ishida's return. Orihime's face of surprise upon seeing the guests had been amusing, he mused, realising that she hadn't known all about him.

He was as respected as Aizen himself.

"It's good to have you back, old friend." Aizen smiled.

Ishida stepped away from Orihime and nodded. "I've seen how humans are... gullible, selfish fools who follow the masses." Aizen embraced him and the clan applauded. "Thank you. This is where I truly belong." He whispered and the group began to mill around.

"What are you doing later?" Orihime smiled, touching Ishida's cheek gently, and he smiled.

"Hmm. I wonder."

"Ishida!" Momo grinned, tugging on his jacket. "It's so good to see you!"

"Hey, Momo." Ishida smiled. "How are you?"

"Oh, you know... a homeless guy here, a lost kid there..." She waved one hand dismissively. "Nothing interesting. Tell me about the time with the Scandinavian twins in the seventies."

"Oh the blond ones?"

"Yeah." Momo grinned. "Or!"

"That's enough, Momo." Ichimaru smirked, gently pushing the diminutive girl to one side. "Stop pestering the man." His snake like face looked even more sinister with the soft brush of red on his bottom lip. "Everyone's always talking about you, Ishida. Back in the 'good old days' when you and Aizen did all those..." He eyed Orihime. "But I suppose standards drop."

Ishida growled. "I don't care that the coolest kid in school is now your new best friend, Gin, I could still slice you to pieces."

"Hmm." Gin chuckled. "You've been out of action recently... you might need to..." He eyes Ishida speculatively. "Get your edge back?"

"What a good idea, Gin!" Aizen smiled, touching Gin on the back. "Perhaps that girl you've been watching? She looks quite a treat."

Gin paled and scurried away, as Aizen laughed softly. "Ignore Gin." He soothed the three vampires. "He's always been a bit... well." He pulled a face. "Momo?"

"Yes, Aizen?" She breathed, and Ishida was struck dumb by the look of pure devotion on her face.

You didn't see girls with that expression much anymore.

Except for Rukia when she had spoken about Kaien.

He looked at Orihime. She glanced at him cheerfully. "What?"

"You've perked up."

"Yeah." She put her hands over her stilled heart. "I don't know... it just feels like... like everything's going to be okay. You know?"

"Really?" Ishida ran his fingers through her hair. "I don't. I feel like everything's about to come crashing down." He smiled. "But I kind of like it."

"Is that so?"

Ishida smiled.

* * *

Rukia sat upright, and put a hand to her head. Ichigo leaned forwards and frowned into her face. "You okay?"

"Mm." Rukia frowned. "Just thinking about..."

"Right." A mug smashed, making Ichigo jump into the air. "What the hell?"

Rukia sat bolt upright and met his eyes. "Sorry. I dropped it."

Ichigo looked between her, at the table, and the smashed china, across the room by the oven. "I get the feeling that I don't want to ask..."

"Then don't?"

"But what. The. Hell?"

"I don't know!" Rukia slammed her hands against the table and stood up. "It's just lately whenever I think about Kaien and what he did to me..."

SMASH

Ichigo had to jump to avoid a plate embedding itself in his skull, and the offending object smashed against the wall. "Hey!"

"I can't!" SMASH "Help it!" BANG

Ichigo ran to her and braced his arms against the wall either side of her head so that he towered over her shaking form. "Breathe, Rukia."

Rukia squeezed her eyes shut. "I can't!"

"Calm down!"

"No!" Ichigo slumped against her and her eyes widened. "Ichigo!"

A flying pan whacked her across the face and she turned Ichigo's face upwards.

"Are you okay?"

"For god's sake, Rukia. Just relax." Their eyes met and Rukia began to take deep, calming breaths, trying to match Ichigo's own breathing and slowing down her heart. "I will never let anything like that happen to you again." Ichigo breathed, holding her to his chest. "I promise."

A pan beside Ichigo's head quivered, and settled. "Isn't it weird that my heart beats and I can breathe?" Rukia mused. "Anyone would think I was alive."

"You're flushed." Ichigo commented, and Rukia felt her cheeks.

"Hot."

"Yeah." Ichigo smirked. "That was weird."

"The flying crockery? A little."

"Has it happened before?"

"Well..." Rukia and Ichigo got up, and began to tidy the kitchen. "I might have exploded a light bulb."

"That was _you_?"

"Hm." Rukia smoothed out the baby blue dress she now wore. "And... I might have broken all of Ishida's 50's vinyl records."

"Damn..."

"And your bed."

There was a long silence. Then "What?"

"Your bed." Rukia looked away. "I broke it."

"How?"

"It got smashed." She shrugged. "Sorry."

"But... Hey, I am _not _sharing with Ishida!" Ichigo paled. "I mean... Anything but that! It's so... foofy."

Rukia giggled. "Foofy?"

"Oh shut up." He glared. "You know I don't like you."

The two smirked at each other as the doorbell rang. Ichigo trudged over in anticipation of seeing Ishida at the door but was met with Tatsuki instead. "Tatsuki?"

"Hi... Ichigo." Tatsuki frowned. "Is Ishida in?"

"Um..."

"Only... You remember Orihime?" Ichigo paled but Tatsuki continued mercilessly. "I think... I saw her. This is crazy because I know she was murdered but... I've seen her twice now."

The dark haired girl met his eyes. "Tell me I'm not crazy."

"Why are you here?"

"She was here. Looking through the window." Tatsuki bit her lip at Ichigo's stony expression. "I'm sorry... I know it must sound..." She turned but didn't leave. "You know a couple of months ago there were some pretty strange noises coming from your room, Ichigo."

"It was a wild night."

"It sounded like it." Tatsuki eyed him suspiciously. "I'll figure it out, you know."

"What?" Ichigo met her eyes and she smirked shakily.

"This secret of yours. Both of you are hiding something and... I get the feeling it's not pretty."

"You..." Ichigo sighed. "You don't want to know."

"Did you know a girl died here? A while back." Tatsuki searched his eyes for recognition. "I used to see her every now and then in the windows... She wasn't a happy person. This was never a happy house but somehow-." She sighed. "Even with all the shit you guys are going through all the time, it's a happier place since you came." She shrugged and began to walk down the street.

"Thank you." Ichigo called, and she waved back once.

* * *

"So what do you want to do?" Ichigo murmured, and Rukia glanced at him.

"It's not as simple as that... I'm dead and..."

Ichigo nodded slowly. "It's difficult but we'll make it work."

Rukia straightened her back. "It's not as if I asked for your help."

Ichigo held up a DVD of 'Ghost' "What would Patrick Swayze do?"

The day was spent with the two mooching around the living room practicing various methods of haunting. It involved carefully scripted lines about death blood and revenge.

"I am... darkness and death and... bloody guts on your washing line..."

Ichigo stared up at her.

"That was crap." She sighed and put one hand to her head. "I'm never going to get this..."

Ichigo frowned. "It wasn't bad but maybe..." He thought. "Try rasping your voice a little and hissing."

"Hissing?"

"Yeah." He sat up. "You know... I am Darknesssssssssss! I am DEATHHHHHhhhhhh..." He shrugged and Rukia adjusted her shoulders, fixing his with a half lidded grudge-type glare.

"I am DARKnesssss." She began, voice seeming to bounce off the wall. "I am DEATHHHHHhhhhhh..." She glanced at Ichigo and he nodded. "Good." She grinned. "Good..."

"Hey guys."

"Ishida!"

Ichigo jumped up and Rukia ran forwards. "We were so worried!"

"Why?" Ishida smirked. "I've never felt better."

Rukia bit her lip nervously and a vase nearby smashed. "What the...?!" Ishida shouted in surprise.

"Rukia's a poltergeist."

"Can't she control it? That was a present!"

"She's going to haunt Kaien." Ichigo said, watching his friend carefully. "We could use some help."

"That's nice." Ishida waltzed into the kitchen and picked up a cold cup of tea, drinking heavily from it. Rukia and Ichigo filed after him with identical expressions of confusion.

Rukia frowned. "What?" She began. "That's... _nice?_ What the...!"

Ichigo frowned. "What's wrong with you?"

Ishida was silent as he downed the tea. "I'm going out."

"Out?"

"I'll see you around." And he slammed the front door behind him leaving the two roommates in stunned silence.

"What's going on with him?" Rukia asked, crossing her arms. "Arsy pussy."

Ichigo had to laugh.

* * *

He was sat in the hospital cafeteria when she turned up. "Ishida? Is that you?" The vampire turned in surprise and grinned.

"It's been a while, Nanao." The dark haired woman smiled. "How've you been? You look great."

"I look like an old woman." She smiled. "You've not aged a day. Frozen in time like a photograph."

"Hm."

"I'm married." She said after a silence. "His name was Shunsui."

"Congratulations." Ishida bit out, ignoring the small twinge. "Was?"

"He died a couple of years ago." She smiled. And Ishida looked down.

"I'm sorry to hear that." He said sincerely, touching her hand. Nanao sighed and looked to one side, the light picking out the lines of age she had gathered since they'd separated.

She sighed. "So how are things with you? You're being good?"

"Comparably." Ishida grimaced. "Why are you here? You've moved to Bristol?"

"I'm a few miles out." She smiled oddly. "I've got cancer." She looked away as Ishida stood up abruptly.

"Impossible!"

"Sit down." She instructed. "I'm not a young woman anymore, Ishida. And I'm no photograph either."

"But..." He obediently sat.

"Ishida." She smiled. "It's fine."

"It's okay?"

She clutched her bag tightly. "It's terminal. I have maybe... a month."

"Oh god." Now that he knew it was easy to see the extra tiredness in her eyes, and the slight pallor of her skin... as though death already had half a hold on her. "Oh Nanao..."

"It's fine." She smiled tightly. "I'm fine with it. It was good to see you..."

"Wait!" Ishida stood up. "There's someone I want you to talk to." He pulled Nanao to her feet and led her from the cafeteria at an urgent pace.

* * *

Ichigo walked into the kitchen. "How many jars is that now?"

"Six." Rukia smirked.

The orange haired man leant against the wall and tossed the raspberry jam jar idly. "I wonder what it is about us that says _we want jam_... I think its Ishida's clothes..."

"They feel guilty." Rukia smiled. "It's a gesture."

"Yeah and so was writing _Paedo _on the front door." He frowned. "Have you spoken to Ishida about haunting Kaien?"

"Chance'd be a fine thing." She sighed, washing up the cups in the sink. "Barely seen him, have you?"

"No not since the other night." They both fell silent at the memory. "I can't believe that she died."

"I know." Rukia looked around. "Should Ishida have saved her?"

"I think he did." Ichigo smiled. "Not being a vampire but being dead is better for the soul."

"You know... my revenge?" Rukia started, not looking at him. "It's not just about making him confess." She admitted.

"Go on."

"Well... it's more... jagged than that." She scrubbed at the pan in the sink. "I want him to be scared. Really scared. Is that bad?"

"It's human." Ichigo smiled. "Not everything about being Human is nice. But it's worth being."

"Hmm." Their eyes met briefly in understanding and they turned away from each other, continuing in their meagre tasks.

"Kaien?" Ichigo asked, talking on his mobile as he left the house. "Yeah it's Ichigo. Um... The tap's broken again..."

He listened.

"Yeah I know. I'm turning it now."

A pause.

"Well sure come right over and if I'm not in just... let yourself in; you have a key." He smirked as he hung up.

"Done."

* * *

He watched her come back from Aizen, who smiled and waved at him before attending to some old woman who'd lost her purse, once again a policeman.

"Why did you make him talk to me?" Nanao asked calmly, meeting his eyes. "It seems an awfully cowardly thing to do."

"I'm a coward." Ishida shrugged. "What do you think?"

"If I was a vampire..."

"You'd live."

"...Forever..." She sighed and leant over the railing of the bridge, staring hard at the murky water of the river. "But I wouldn't be young. I'd be frozen."

Ishida looked down.

"You made him try to... recruit me, in your place, because you knew I'd say no."

"I hoped you wouldn't." Ishida frowned. "Remember when we first met?"

"It was the sixties." Nanao smiled and sat with him on the bench. "At a party."

"You were holding that cigarette trying desperately to look cool and sophisticated." He laughed.

She shrugged. "It worked. You chose me." They smiled. "Weekends spent in a B&B in Derbyshire..."

"Mr and Mrs McCartney." Ishida laughed.

Nanao smiled. "Well it was the time of the Beatles." They both looked at each other. "I thought you were on the wagon?" She said quietly.

"Well, present company excepted, humans aren't as wonderful as I hoped." Ishida sighed. "I've been letting Aizen into the hospital to recruit people of good standing."

"What?"

"They're totally informed." Ishida said quickly. "They're all people who'd die soon anyway and they're offered more."

"People of standing?"

"Politicians, architects..." Ishida sighed. "All well informed and given all the details."

"Really?" Nanao snorted. "That's not a choice, Ishida you're manipulating them!"

"You really won't reconsider?"

"I don't know who you are when you talk like this." She said. "Being Human _means _Being Mortal. It means dying. Don't rob me of that... it's beautiful."

"It's evolution."

"Never a birth? Never a death?" She crossed her arms. "That's not evolution, Ishida, that's a full stop."

"Hey, Ishida." They both turned to see Ichigo standing awkwardly about five feet away. "Can we talk?"

"It's fine, this is Nanao." Ishida stood up grinning. "We dated." At Ichigo's raised eyebrows. "In the sixties. It's fine she knows all about us."

"Um..."

"What did you want to say?"

"Nothing." Ichigo shoved his hands in his pockets. "It doesn't matter." And he walked away.

Ishida turned to Nanao who frowned reproachfully. "That was mean."

"What?"

"You outed him!" She told him. "To a stranger."

"Ah, that's my roommate. He'll be fine."

"These friends of yours... your roommates... do they know you're doing this? I think that's why you got _him_ to approach me." She sighed. "Goodbye, Ishida."

"Take care." He watched her walk away with a weight on his chest.

* * *

The door opened slowly to a deserted house, heavily shadowed. "Ichigo?" Kaien called, and hung up his coat. "You in?"

When there was no reply, he strode into the kitchen and turned the tap.

Water gushed out freely.

"Why do I bother?" He growled, pouring a glass of water and drinking deeply. "For god's sake."

He turned and stilled.

"Hello Tiger."

The glass dropped to the floor.

"I hope you're not going to take that out of their deposit." She smirked as he fell to his knees.

"Rukia..."

"Not anymore." She said coldly, stepping forwards. "I am Darkness."

Kaien whimpered.

"I am Death." She was standing over him now. "Vengeance and Fury, Fire and Blood... Diamonds and Bones, Sapphire and..." She glanced around for inspiration. "Steel..."

Kaien was breathing quickly, chest rising in short little bursts.

Rukia smirked, and it was the most bone-chilling thing he'd ever seen.

"Confess, Kaien." She whispered. "Confessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss."

She turned and walked away, heading up the stairs.

"Textbook." She smirked.

Kaien was laid on the floor, propping himself up. "Hey, Rukia. Is that the best you got?"

Rukia stilled and Kaien stood up, smirking.

"I fucking knew it. All that stuff happening at my house... I thought it was just..." He laughed. "Guilt."

Rukia stared in horror as he walked towards her.

"I should've known that a bratty spoilt little girl like you wouldn't even let death stop one of your sulks."

Rukia flinched and backed away. "No."

"No?" He moved so that he was towering over her, as he so often did. "So what are you now, then? A ghost?" He chuckled. "What you gonna do to me then, huh? Come on..." He frowned. "SPIT IT OUT!"

Rukia flinched and whimpered.

"Quiet as the grave." He laughed. "I think we're done here, don't you? See I should charge rent for three now, right? Cause the thing is... you get away with murder..." He bent to hiss in her ear. "And you're invincible. A God."

Rukia fell to her knees as he headed for the door.

"And I have, you know." He smirked. "Gotten away with it."

The door closed with a slam.

* * *

"He didn't freak out?" Ichigo scowled. "At all?"

"Well he is a crazy bastard." She muttered sullenly. "This is someone who killed his fiancée, concealed it and then rented out the crime scene."

Ichigo frowned. "Ishida's no help. Not interested in us right now." The door opened.

"Hey." Ishida sighed, coming in and staring at the assembled sups. "Coffee?"

"Um..." Rukia looked. "I think maybe that one." The vampire took it and turned away, downing it and beginning to wash up. "So Kaien saw me today." She said, watching his back.

"What are you going to do?" Ichigo asked when Ishida failed to respond.

"I don't know... might pay Miyako a visit."

"Miyako? As in... Kaien's girlfriend?"

"Yeah." Rukia shifted uncomfortably. "Cause otherwise she'll be next, won't she?"

Ichigo nodded and turned to Ishida. "So where were you?"

"Work."

"Not all the time."

"It's been busy."

There was a pause.

"You're back with them aren't you?" Ichigo said, disbelievingly.

Ishida set down his mug and turned around. "It's different now."

"Are you killing again?" Ichigo leaned forwards, barely holding back his anger.

"It's voluntary." Ishida reasoned. "No one's doing anything they don't want to."

Rukia stood up. "But I thought you said getting this house was to be part of humanity... to retreat from what you are?"

"Humanity?" Ishida hissed. "I'm saying that I'm sick of trying to be something I'm not!" Ishida snapped. "I'm _not _human, alright? And you know what? I'm really bloody glad that's true; Humans are stupid and thuggish and cruel!" He met Ichigo's eyes. "They are the monsters. I just can't believe it's taken me this long to work it out."

And with that he was gone.

* * *

Rukia was waiting at Kaien and Miyako's house for a long time before Miyako came home from work.

"Hey." Rukia said softly, turning to see her.

Miyako dropped to the floor in a dead faint.

"Damn." Rukia frowned. "Great, so _you _freak out, but Kaien's fine."

Carefully, Rukia removed her shoes and put a cushion beneath her head. Propping her feet on the coffee table, she began to read a magazine.

Five minutes later, Miyako woke up again.

And ran upstairs screaming.

"No! Miyako! Miyako!" Rukia followed her, stopping outside the locked bathroom door.

"You took my shoes off! Oh god, you did it so I couldn't get away!" Miyako was in hysterics.

"I thought you were meant to take of someone's shoes if they fainted!" Rukia sighed. "Look, if I wanted to keep you here I'd have... cut your feet off!"

"Oh no!" Miyako began to sob noisily and Rukia leant against the door with her eyes closed. "You died..." Miyako sobbed. "You fell down the stairs and cracked your head open..."

"No!"

"Kaien said."

"Kaien...!" Rukia put her face to the door. "Kaien killed me."

There was a silence as Miyako's tears stopped, and she stared ahead in shock. "That's not true."

"It is." Rukia said softly. "It's why I'm still here. I needed to warn you because... you'll be next."

"No." Miyako said firmly. "He loves me."

Rukia sighed and closed her eyes. "If you can tell me that he has never scared you... never laid a finger on you... then I'll go, and I'll never come back."

The two young women were silent.

And Miyako gasped.

"Sometimes..." She started. "Sometimes he gets..."

"What? What is it, Miyako?"

"No."

"You need to say it."

"No!" Miyako covered her ears and put her face between her knees. "I'm going mad. It's like my great-aunt Janice who kept seeing the Bronte sisters in her en-suite."

Rukia debated just walking through the door but quickly realised that it would only exacerbate things.

All ideas went out the window though as the keys rattled in the door.

"Kaien?" Miyako asked, and threw open the bathroom door. "Kaien!"

"What?" He asked as she barrelled into him. "What the hell's going on?"

"I'm going mad! It's Rukia! She's here and she's going to chop my feet off!" Miyako sobbed into his chest as Kaien looked up at Rukia, who stood at the top of the stairs.

"I don't see anything babe."

"He's lying." Rukia snapped. "Don't listen to him, he's looking right at me!"

"What's it been saying, babe? What do you think it's been saying?"

Miyako stopped crying and looked up at him. "She said you killed her."

Rukia smirked. _Get out of this one then you bastard._

"You know what I think this is?" Kaien smirked. "Guilt."

"Guilt?" Both women asked.

"Yeah. You're such a sweet girl that after her death, you blame yourself because you feel guilty."

Rukia met his eyes and they were cold.

"Guilt over... what we were doing when she was alive."

Rukia's eyes widened a little as Kaien grinned at her, that carefree grin she used to love.

"Yeah. The emails and texts... at work, in the Lexus, in the disabled toilets at our engagement party..."

"No..." Rukia whispered, covering her mouth.

Kaien took Miyako's face in his hands and smiled down at her. "Now, Rukia would love this. She was always so bitter... all her life, bitter towards people who were cleverer than her and did something with their lives while she just... stood at the side..." His eyes slid to Rukia's and held them. "Not doing anything... like a ghost."

"And you really can't see anything?"

"You know what?" Kaien smirked. "I really can't." He winked at Rukia and kissed Miyako.

* * *

"Hello neighbour." Tatsuki skipped to fall into step beside Ichigo. "How's life?" They made their way through the hospital slowly.

"Jam filled." He smirked.

"Oh yeah." She grinned, "Might have suggested it to a few people." She winked. "Raspberry's your favourite now."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "I'm more into marmalade..."

"Tough. Just be thankful I didn't tell everyone it was strawberry." She sighed. "It must have been hard,"

"I'm sure our pantry will empty in time." Ichigo smirked and she hit his arm hard. "Hey!"

"Don't be a jerk."

"Excuse me." They both turned to see Nanao standing beside them. "Can I have a word?"

"Um... sure." Ichigo said, and shrugged at Tatsuki as Nanao pulled him into an empty ward. "Look I don't know what Ishida told you about my condition but..."

"Ishida's in trouble." Nanao hissed.

"What?"

"He introduced me to another vampire, to make me one of them." She urged, gripping his arm. Ichigo's face fell as he processed the information. "The vampires are mobilising. They're making it sound all _new Labour_ but this is an invasion."

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked seriously.

"It's a coup, and the first thing they're doing is recruiting on a bigger scale than ever before- coming in _here _and talking to people!"

"And Ishida's really a part of this?" Ichigo asked, sickened.

"He's how they're getting in!"

"So what do we do now?"

"Your... thing." Nanao started. "Is it anything um..."

"Useful? No." He put his hands up. "Strictly part time."

"Oh. I was hoping you were a warlock or something." At Ichigo's incredulous expression she shrugged. "When you've gone out with a vampire your perspective changes a little."

Okay... I need to go home and... Oh God. How many people are they planning to recruit? How big is this?"

Nanao swallowed. "Aizen said it. He said..."

_No one gets left behind._


	11. Who want's a piece of chair?

**Oh my god!!! What will happen to out dearly evil Ishida? And what of our poor, misled Orihime? Will Kaien ever repent? Will Miyako survive getting her feet chopped off? Will Tatsuki's curiosity kill her cat?**

**And, for that matter, why are Ichigo and Rukia pussyfooting around each other with all the romance of a hippo in a tutu?**

**Well, the latter may be my bad writing, but as Orihime's fate... and Tatsuki's... they are not far from being resolved!!! Will the best friends reunite all happy and (just slightly) lovingly with the tender hearts of young friends? Or will Orihime's previous carelessness with her feeding force her to see her former best friend as nothing but a yummy snack?**

**I don't know.**

**Why are you looking at me?**

**Oh right! I'm the authoress... or so it's rumoured.**

**Don't pay any attention to me, I've just finished _Pride and Prejudice and Zombies_ so I'm all chipper.**

**AND! There's a reviewer competition at the end... for a character to meet everyone's favourite werewolf. (No, not Oz from Buffy...) Details at the end!**

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**Reviewers! My loves! I am eternally in your debt!**

**Except FionaH93, who knows that if she doesn't review I simply nag her for days. It's true, I live with her.**

**DEATHCARNATION-** Oh, he's a total good guy. Don't worry!!! And thank you for the review!!!

**Kurou-chan- **Haha I'm doing Ishihime!!! Not enough? (Cries) I've never written much of it before! Thank you for the reviewage love though! (Hug)

**.princess- - **Who doesn't want jam? Haha Thank you for saying it made you excited! It made me grin!

**Silhouette the SANVAE- **Haha the characters appreciated your notes... well... Rukia and Ichigo did... Ishida just walked off and Kaien started laughing and babbling about being bulletproof... weird... I _loved _the review, and thanks for complimenting my style, I'm constantly worried that there's not enough description or character depth!

* * *

"Hello." Momo grinned. "I'll just get someone through..." Ishida put up a hand to stop her.

"I'm going to see Aizen."

"Hold on." She smiled cheerfully and Ishida saw her press a button under the desk.

"Momo..."

"Ishida!" Ichimaru beamed. "How's life?"

"Alright." The dark haired man glanced around the funeral parlour. "What's going on?"

"Eh, not much." Gin smirked. "Say, why Bristol? I mean... why not London or Manchester?" He laughed. "Aizen's so random."

Ishida looked at him as though he was insane (which let's face it... is kinda true). "The first vampire settled here in 1630. Don't you know the old stories?"

"The first vampire lived here?"

"The first to have a double life." Ishida sighed. "He ran for parliament." He moved to pass Ichimaru but was blocked.

Ichimaru shrugged. "All the stories are about you, Ishida." He smiled, holding the vampire in place. "Everyone else is like _'ooh I got this tramp in a doorway'_ but you're the real McCoy."

"I need to talk to Aizen."

"Need me to buzz you through?"

"I need you to get out of my way."

Ichimaru slipped slowly to one side, hands raised as Ishida strode past. "As you wish." He murmured silkily, his smile frozen until Ishida was out of sight. "Tell Aizen he's coming through." He ordered Momo, who picked up the phone.

"Yes. He's here."

Downstairs was a network of cellar passageways, used to store the dead at a low temperature before embalming. The rooms in these passages were now officially out of use, but some of the lower rooms were used for vampire functions.

One of the unused doors was ajar when Ishida passed.

And voices were heard inside.

Moaning and frantic whispers.

Ishida headed towards the door slowly, so as not to disturb the occupants, and pushed the door open a little, pausing when his hand touched fingerprints of blood.

He couldn't help it.

He stepped inside.

"Please, no more..." A skinny young man looked up with wild eyes, his clothes tattered and stinking. The room was large, with a few bloodied blankets and stools. One light source in the corner that fizzed and spluttered unreliably and...

So many people.

About fifteen adults were dressed in bloody shirts and trousers, and there was a chair to one side with a metal bowl beneath it.

The bowl was stained reddish brown and smelt like iron.

"We told you to be careful." The young man started shakily. "A little here and there won't kill anyone but the last one hadn't had time to recover!"

Ishida was silent, eyes darting round the room quickly, taking it all in. "What are you doing here?" He asked quietly.

"Please! There has to be an order! It's why Grimmjow died and Halibel got so sick..."

"What are you talking about?" Ishida whispered, walking towards the young man.

"We keep quiet and eat what you give us but there are too many of you now." The young man's voice failed.

Ishida's eyes widened as he looked at the frightened humans huddled around the dark corners of the room. "Are... Are they feeding on you?"

"Please..."

"How long have you been here?"

"Weeks. There were other people's clothes when we got here."

"What's your name?"

"...Ulquiorra." The young man swallowed. "There were toys under the bed..."

"We were going to tell you." Aizen started, genially. "But like so much in life... it all comes down to timing."

Ishida's eyes met those of Orihime, who looked away quickly. "So that's how it is."

Aizen smiled.

* * *

"Rukia!" Ichigo burst into the house. "Rukia! We've got to rescue Ishida." He removed his coat and threw it to one side, glancing at the girl laid out on the sofa. "The vampires have him and... it's much worse than we thought."

Rukia remained silent as he ran into the kitchen.

"There was this woman who used to... I'll tell you about it on the way and they're based at an _undertakers._" He scowled. "Stereotypes clearly hold no fear for these people." He scowled. "I have no idea what I'm looking for... something to defend myself... Do we take crosses? Garlic? I know, we should have watched more films."

He burst into the lounge.

"So far I have..." He trailed off and looked at his two prizes. "A whisk and my mobile phone recharger." He mimed stabbing someone with the prongs of the charger cable before tossing it over his shoulder.

"...Rukia?" He started, looking at her still form on the settee. "Are you alright?"

"Kaien's won." She whispered. "He beat me. I can't... move or..." She swallowed. "He just keeps on killing me."

"Rukia." Ichigo moved round to face her and crouched so that he could see her eyes. "You need to stand up, and help."

"You don't understand."

"No!" Ichigo shouted. "I don't! Ishida, our _friend _needs you and if you don't help then you have done to yourself the one thing Kaien could never do because then you _have finally died_ Rukia!" He stood up and held out his hand. "Come on!"

Rukia's eyes slowly turned to stare at his hand. They trailed up his long arm and finally met his eyes. "You're an idiot."

"And you're a coward."

A small pale hand gripped onto a larger, tanned hand tightly. "Let's go."

"Hey!" Tatsuki called as they stormed down the street. "What is going on?"

The two turned and stared at her. "Tatsuki, not now!"

"No! Now is a perfectly good time!" She growled, dropping down with a leg sweep that landed Ichigo on the street. "I have seen Orihime countless times since she died, and don't even try to tell me that _that_ isn't Rukia!" She met Rukia's eyes and the two roommates exchanged one long stare.

"How..."

"I knew it!" Tatsuki threw her arms up. "Why is everyone who died coming back to life, Kurosaki? Cause it didn't happen before you and your friend showed up!"

"I can't tell you."

"Damn it!" She grabbed Ichigo by the collar and lifted him. "You are going to tell me!"

"No!" Rukia was the one who spoke this time. "Not right now!" She met the other woman's eyes and moved forwards. "You will know, I _swear_ but if we don't go now then someone's going to die, and not come back."

Tatsuki looked as though she was going to argue- she really did. But she nodded.

"Thank you." Rukia smiled. "Come on Ichigo."

As she watched the two run off, Tatsuki bit her lip hard. "Orihime..." She grinned. "You're not getting rid of me that easily!" And she set off at a silent run.

* * *

Ichigo and Rukia cringed at the bell as it chimed to notify the funeral directors of their entry. The reception area was empty and neatly kept.

Rukia pulled a face and raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure this is the vampire headquarters...?" She asked doubtfully. "Cause it'd be just like you to get it completely wrong."

"Good afternoon." Ichimaru smiled, putting on his formal black coat. "I'm so sorry but we're closed for business at the moment. But I do have a number of..." He trailed of and his smile fell. "Oh my God." He frowned. "What do _you_ want?"

"Well either you have the world's _worst_ customer service or we've come to the right place." Ichigo smirked. "We're here for Ishida."

"No."

"...Can we leave a message then?" Rukia asked.

"What the cock is that?" Ichimaru frowned, eyeing Rukia suspiciously.

"I'm a ghost actually." She smiled and Gin returned the gesture.

"Really?" He grinned and she shrugged. "Can you like... move things about and walk from one room to another?"

"You know I'm pretty sure everyone can do that." Ichigo frowned.

"Shut up Fido." Ichimaru pointed accusingly at him. "The only reason I haven't torn your face off yet is because I've just hovered the carpet."

"Right." Ichigo said, and began to walk past the silver haired vampire.

Ichimaru had him against the wall in a flash, and Ichigo was finding himself being throttled by a man much stronger than he. "Rukia!" He choked. "Help."

The ghost scampered about the reception area, searching for a weapon of sorts. Finding a heavy looking phone, she threw it in Ichimaru's direction...

... And it fell to the floor, held back by the cable.

"Ruk...!"

She ran to the other desk and picked up a chair, smashing Ichimaru across the back with it with enough force to drive him to the floor. "Ow!" He complained. "That actually hurt!"

"Sorry!" Rukia smirked.

"What is wrong with you people?" Gin spat. "That totally, fucking hurt." He turned to advance on Ichigo again with blacked out eyes and long canines.

"Hit him again! Hit him again!" Ichigo shouted, backing away from Ichimaru. It wasn't that he was weak... but he was no match for a vampire.

Ichimaru darted forwards and grabbed Ichigo's shirt, which had unbuttoned slightly from the previous struggle, and immediately recoiled, hissing.

"What...?" Rukia began, but Ichigo held up the weapon.

His Star of David pendant.

"This is it?" He asked, advancing on Gin, and punching him knocking him to the floor with one blow. With the enemy on the ground, he turned to Rukia. "That was pathetic." He announced. "We're like... the world's _gayest_ ninjas."

"I don't get it!" Rukia pouted. "I hit him with a chair and nothing but you hit him with your girly fists and he's knocked out!"

Ichigo ignored the insult. "My Star of David weakened him." He frowned. "That's weird though... it never hurt Ishida... he looks after it while I transform."

"Oh my God."

"What?"

"I feel sick. I think that was my first real fight." Rukia sighed, leaning against the wall and laughing lightly.

Ichigo shrugged, and began buttoning up his tip. "Yeah? Well you'd better get used to it. This is our life now."

"How's your hand?"

"Really fucking hurts." Ichigo gasped, bending over. "Is that guy made or marble or something? I think I've _bruised _the _bone_."

Rukia kicked Ichimaru's motionless body. "Dunno what to do with him."

"Leave him" Ichigo sighed. "Let's go and find Ishida."

* * *

"What was that?" Ishida demanded, following Aizen into the conference room. "Who are those people?"

"Runaways... mostly." Aizen smiled.

Ishida threw his hands into the air. "I thought all of _this_ was voluntary! That doesn't look bloody voluntary to me!"

Aizen smirked. "Well I never said that I was after one hundred percent conversion, did I?"

Ishida's eyes met Orihime's briefly. "What do you mean?"

"Well we were always going to keep a small portion of humanity alive, we don't want all the useless shit off the streets."

Orihime closed her eyes and Ishida had to be restrained as he flung his body forwards. "What the hell are you talking about?!"

"Well..." Aizen turned to smile at Ishida. "We need to feed."

Ishida was silent, his jaw going slack. "That's what this is? All of this... this _bullshit_ about a new race... about advancing the world... it's all smoke and mirrors!" His eyes darkened. "You just want to feed."

Aizen smiled and sat down, Momo standing dutifully by his side. "That's not all... I also want to be able to look down at this tiny, pathetic little world and laugh." He shrugged. "But I'll admit, feeding is the priority." He stroked Momo's hair. "Now for you, Ishida."

"Aizen..." Orihime started, but when he glared at her, she turned and left.

Ishida smirked. "What about me? I don't want to be part of this."

"Now that is a problem." Aizen sighed regretfully. "I have indulged you for a long time, as a way of acknowledgement to our long friendship... but I have to put a stop to it now. You can't just hop in and out as the fancy takes you." His words and eyes went cold, and he stood up, walking slowly towards the captive vampire. "You're either one of us, or you're dead."

"Then I'm dead." Ishida smirked defiantly. "When there was a choice... when I was only feeding in order to change, I could fool myself that I was innocent. I was blind."

"You have always been so very blind." Aizen sighed. "So unable to see beyond the next life taken- or not, as the case may be."

"Do me a favour." Ishida asked, eyes meeting those of his killer calmly. "When I'm gone don't... talk about me- the way you do. I don't want to be remembered for the twins in Germany, or that mayor in London. I'd rather be forgotten."

"Well no one can call me heartless." Aizen smiled, and allowed his teeth to grow. "We won't talk of you after today."

One of the guard vampires fell to the floor, and two figures charged into the centre of the room, one with vivid orange hair and one with dark spiky locks.

"Who wants a piece of my chair?!" Ichigo called, holding the folding plastic chair above his head, still stained with a little undead blood.

When the tight hold on Ishida slackened, he broke free and turned to his friends, wildly staring at them with such a fierce surge of hope that he wondered how he had ever thought of turning away from them.

It seems that people thrust on you unexpectedly are just as important, or more so, than those you choose to involve of your own free will.

"RUN!" He shouted, and Ichigo threw the chair at the crowd of vampires with Rukia shrieking a little in shock as Ishida burst forth and led them down the network of underground corridors.

"How did you know where I was?"

"Didn't!" Ichigo shouted back. "I ran into every room with a different cool-sounding line to announce my entry!"

"... _Who wants a piece of my chair_ was meant to be cool?"

"... I'd begun to run out of ideas."

The three were rounded off into one of the rooms by a freshly conscious (and pissed off) Ichimaru. Rukia disappeared briefly and reappeared in the doorway they were running towards.

"I just went to check if the coast was clear." She gasped, and Ichigo grabbed her shoulders.

"And is it?"

"Very much not."

"Damn..." Ishida cursed as vampires began to surround them. "Well guys... if I had to die today, I'm a bit glad it was with you two."

"How selfish." Ichigo smirked. "Wanting us to die too. We should've left you."

"Thanks."

"Now then." Ichimaru smirked, nursing a bruise on his cheek. "What're you going to do now?"

Ishida's eyes turned black and his canines lengthened. Ichigo unbuttoned his top to reveal his Star of David and Rukia readied herself for battle by spacing her feet. Gin laughed coldly and stretched his neck muscles.

"This will be good."

All of a sudden, he was pushed forwards and a girl stood in the doorway, staring grimly at the three people in the centre. "Well this was slightly worse than expected." Tatsuki sighed, assuming a karate stance. "Which of you bad boys wants to spill blood first?"

When a burly Indian was felled with a swift kick to the chest, she smirked.

"I meant, of course, your own blood. Suckers."

"Tatsuki!" Rukia called. "Behind you!"

Their dark haired saviour turned and had to roll to one side as Momo lunged for her neck. "Hey!" She yelled. "No dirty tricks!"

"I'm afraid we don't play by the rules." Ichimaru scathed. "Little girl."

"I bet you don't." She kicked at his face but her limbs were too slow and weak for a vampire anticipating the attack. Ichimaru quickly had her pinned to the floor with ease, and the other vampires gathered prevented any of the three others coming to her aid.

"Tatsuki!" Ichigo shouted. "Why did you follow us?"

"A bit late for that..." Tatsuki grunted, squirming as Ichimaru licked her neck. "...don't you think?"

"Oh god." Ishida breathed, and Ichimaru groaned in pain as a wooden stake pierced his chest. Momo was thrown into the crowd and knocked over a few of the advancing vampires in the process.

"Orihime!" Tatsuki cried, near tears as she took in the appearance of her oldest friend. The sweet girl who wore her brother's hair grips was gone, replaced with a ruthless leather-bound monster.

The red haired girl met her eyes, though, and Tatsuki smiled.

"I guess I have to thank you, huh?"

Orihime smiled. "Consider it my thanks for all the times you saved me."

"And us?" Ichigo put up a hand. "We think we should get out _fast_." Orihime helped her friend up and the five ran out, led by Orihime, into the dark of Bristol's night.

"We were in there a while, huh?" Rukia sighed, shivering.

As they dove into a secluded alleyway, Ishida grabbed Orihime and pulled her to him, embracing her tightly. After a moment of shock, she smiled and closed her eyes, savouring the touch.

"We have to go back to the house." Ichigo urged. "We have to pack and get the _hell _out of here."

"What about those people down there?" Rukia demanded. "We can't just leave them!"

"Maybe he's right." Tatsuki bit her lip. "It's not safe, right? The only ones capable of actually damaging that lot are Ishida and Orihime... We can't just rely on two to defend so many."

"We can't leave them."

"I'm not saying we can!" Ichigo grunted. "Just... how about going back now?" He looked up at Tatsuki. "We could get them out while everyone's in uproar and hope for the best."

"The best?" Tatsuki rolled her eyes. "You mean _chaos_. At least one of us would die if we did that, and who says they won't hunt us down afterwards anyway? We need to _leave_."

Orihime stiffened and looked up. "You need to stop them." She said, flatly. "Someone needs to stop Aizen."

Ishida stroked her cheek tenderly. "It's going to be tough, sweetheart."

Orihime looked down. "Tatsuki... I love you." She looked up at her friend, eyes swimming. "I'm so sorry for everything I've done."

"Don't sweat it..." Tatsuki grimaced. "You didn't know better."

"But... I did."

"You knew about those people." Ishida sighed, pressing his forehead against hers. It wasn't a question. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because..." Orihime's eyes spilled over, and her shoulders shook with uncontrollable sobs. "You'd have made me stop." She gripped onto him tightly, trying to communicate her meaning. "And I... I didn't want to!"

"Orihime..."

"It felt too good!" She leaned against the wall and deliberately avoided the horrified eyes of the others in the alleyway. Ichigo was tightly holding Rukia's hand, and Tatsuki had closed her eyes and clenched her fists, fighting the urge to rip someone's head off.

"Orihime... Orihime..." Ishida breathed, stroking her hair. "It's okay. We can set them free, and run away from Aizen... you don't have to do that anymore."

"I can't run away..."

"You _can_."

"No!" She cried, and met his eyes with her own, wild ones. "I will feed and feed until there's no one left! I can't run away from _myself_ Ishida! And it was _me_ who went there frequently _on my own _to feed on those people! Oh god... sometimes they don't even _fight_."

Tatsuki sank to her knees and stared helplessly on as he friend dug into her pocket.

"Ishida... please..." Orihime sobbed. "You brought me into this world..." She gave him the stake. "You have to take me out of it."

"But..." Ishida shook his head, his own tears finally falling. "You saved me."

"So now save me."

No one looked away as she crumbled to dust, their tears the only acknowledgement of her passing in the deathly silence of the dirty alley.

"I'm sorry." Ishida mumbled, still holding the stake and Orihime's coat. "I'm so, so sorry..." He closed his eyes. "I love you." He whispered, and Everyone bowed their head in respect.

"We... have to go." Tatsuki repeated.

"Tatsuki..."

"Really." She said, turning to Ichigo. "We can't stay here."

"Have a little..."

"A little what? Sympathy? She was my _best friend _and I lost her twice because of him." She stood up. "If we're going to do anything we need to be prepared. Ishida." She stood squarely, lifting her chin defiantly. "Prove that you loved her. We have to kill that bastard."

Ishida nodded once. "Tatsuki, go to your house and find a wooden stake or something... we have one thing we need to do back home before we finish this." He met Rukia's eyes. "Ready for your revenge?"

Rukia met his eyes and nodded once. "Thank you."

"I'll meet you at my place then." Tatsuki smirked. "Aizen's going down."

"You bet he is." Ichigo growled. "No fucking bastard gets away with what he's been doing."

"Shall we?"

"Let's go."

* * *

Kaien opened the door in high spirits. "Honey! I'm home!" He laughed as he kicked at the familiar cracked tile and turned to see three figures in the dark lounge. "Oh look at that." He breathed, smirking. "The Gang's all here."

Rukia stood closest, her icy violet eyes narrowed and her mouth set in determined detachment. Behind her, to her right, was Ichigo, stood with clenched fists and a deep scowl. Ishida looked calm by comparison, but still filled with killing intent.

"Oh don't tell me..." Kaien laughed. "You two aren't ghosts too are you? Oh I knew I should've got references."

"Kaien." Rukia said, her words cutting through the air like a knife. "I brought you here to show you that you're nothing."

"Oh really, babe?" He smirked. "Cause right now it feels like I'm something pretty special."

"I'm just the tip of the iceberg." Rukia continued. "Did you never wonder what, if I existed, what else could exist too? look at you." She sneered. "So pleased with your grubby little murder."

Ichigo smirked.

"You think you're the big bad wolf?" Rukia's eyes narrowed. "You should see Ichigo on a full moon."

Kaien glanced at Ichigo, who allowed his smirk to widen, showing gleaming white teeth.

"You think you're a cold-blooded killer? Ishida was murdering countless people eighty years before you were born."

At this, Ishida's eyes turned black and he smirked.

At this point, Kaien's previous arrogance had all but vanished, and he was staring at Ichigo and Ishida with frozen horror. "And now." Rukia continued, relentless. "I'm going to tell you the very worst thing in the world... Something that only the dead know." Suddenly, she was beside his ear, and as she leant down to whisper, Ichigo met Ishida's eyes nervously, but saw no concern in his friend, and instead returned his gaze to Rukia, who stepped back slowly, her eyes on Kaien.

The man in question was trembling, and his eyes flitted around the room in a panic.

"That's... not true."

"It is." Rukia said coldly. "I've seen it." She touched his face, which was wet with cold sweat and tears. "If I were you, I'd find a big house, with big dogs and I'd never, ever turn out the light."

Kaien jumped back from her touch, icy as it was, and threw himself at the door, breaking into a frenzied run down the street, all the while sobbing and pulling at his own hair.

Toshiro Hitsugaya was a good policeman, and he prided himself on being immoveable.

Therefore, when a tall dark haired man threw himself at the glass partition to separate the officer at the desk from the potentially dangerous public, he barely blinked.

"Yes?"

"I need you to keep me safe." Kaien whispered, touching the glass gently.

"Right." Toshiro sighed, pulling out a form. "Who do you think is after you?"

"No." Kaien insisted, eyes wild. "I killed my fiancée and now she's going to kill me with what I think is a vampire, and a werewolf."

Toshiro didn't even blink, and instead met Kaien's eyes with detached disdain. "Right." He said. "We're going to need a different form."

"So what now?" Ichigo asked, taking Rukia's hot cup of tea gratefully.

"I don't know." She admitted. "With Renji there was just suddenly this... so I suppose I just need to wait."

"That was... incredible." Ishida smirked. "I've never seen you like that."

"It's amazing what fending off a horde of the undead does to your confidence." Rukia smirked in satisfaction. "And... it just felt right."

"What..." Ichigo swallowed. "What did you say to him?"

Rukia fell silent, and glanced at Ishida, stood behind him, who shook his head slightly. "Just a secret." Rukia said, and smiled. "That's all."

"That's all? I've never seen..."

"Oh god, Rukia." Ishida said sharply, and Rukia looked up, only to find his eyes fixed on the corner of the room.

Ichigo stood up abruptly. "Oh..."

Rukia looked around at the heavy looking wooden door and swallowed. "I guess that's mine..." She murmured, and stood up, slowly walking towards it. "Oh god."

"What do you do? Just... _open_ it?"

"I guess." Rukia turned quickly. "Do I pack or...?"

"No." Ishida smiled. "I think you just go as you are."

"Right." Rukia laughed nervously. "Of course."

"Don't go." Ichigo said suddenly, and Ishida frowned.

"She has to."

"Or not." Ichigo insisted, not turning his fierce amber eyes from Rukia. "You could stay. With m... with us. What's beyond there anyway? Something better? Or something... else."

"It might be something else." Rukia closed her eyes.

"Then why go? Why... Why leave?"

"Because it's an end." Ishida interrupted, and the ghost smiled gratefully at him.

Rukia felt her tears spilling over. "I really can't." She said. "I'm so... so sorry." She looked between the door and Ichigo. "I should... say goodbye properly then."

Ichigo scowled, but nodded tightly.

"Oh god.... Ichigo." Rukia darted forwards and hugged him tightly. "You hated me."

"No I didn't." He argued, holding her to him.

"Oh come _on_ idiot..."

"Well." Ichigo smiled in spite of himself. "Maybe a bit."

"Ishida." She sobbed, still clinging to Ichigo. "Don't kill anyone."

"Good tip."

Eventually Rukia was released and she hesitated. "Oh god." She bit her lip.

"You're lucky." Ishida smiled. "Not everyone gets the chance to say goodbye."

"I know but..." Rukia's hands clenched into fists. "Fucking hell!"

Ichigo's face fell. "You might want different last words."

"Ichigo!" She said, staring resolutely at the door. "When I open it... don't look inside." He nodded fiercely and Rukia slowly touched the doorknob, gasping a half-sob. "It's cold..."

_KNOCK, KNOCK_

"Argh!" Rukia squealed, pulling her hand back.

Ichigo pulled her back, pointing and shouting. "There's something at the door! There's something at the _fucking _door!"

"Guys! Guys!" Ishida shouted, with a smirk. "It's the _other _door."

"Oh god." Ichigo sighed as Rukia began to giggle hysterically. "I think I had a heart attack."

Ishida laughed and shook his head. "This is ridiculous we can't do _this_ with someone at the door."

Rukia laughed nervously and separated herself and Ichigo. The werewolf put a hand over his eyes. "What the _fuck_ could someone want at this time of night?"

Still laughing, Ishida opened the door.

And was staked.

Ichigo ran to his side as Aizen disappeared into the night. "Ishida!"

"Oh my fucking God!" Rukia screamed, and Ichigo turned to face her.

"Go! Go now!"

"I can't leave _now_!"

"You might not get another chance!" Ichigo shouted. "I can deal with this, just _go_ and move on!"

Rukia stared helplessly.

"GO!"

* * *

**Oh my God! Who saw that coming? (Being Human watchers excluded lol)**

**It's now 1.40 in the morning, and I'm up way too late JUST so I can say this.**

**TWO UPDATES SO CLOSE TOGETHER?! WTFFFFFFFFFFFFF111111111!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111111111111!!!!!!!!**

**Haha.**

**SO! Little reviewer competition to be featured prominently in the almost-climax of the story...**

**1) ****Tell me the name of the city where Ichigo comes from in this story.**

**2) ****What has been your favourite moment so far in _Being Human_?**

**Only one reviewer will be featured as the prominent character, and the first reviewer to be both correct and interesting will get it. The others to answer both questions will have more minor roles.**

**WHICH OF YOU IS UP AT STUPID O'CLOCK AM?**

**I love you all though... And I feel kinda mean for doing a competition... but its fun?**


	12. Penultimate Tensions

**Woah... So many reviews last chapter! Maybe it's because I killed one character and left two others in perilous situations...**

**.princess- - **I got to the bit in brackets before calming down XD Haha you had me thinking you hated me!!! Thanks for the review! And I'm afraid you'll never know what she told Kaien... hell, I don't know what she told him! Sorry I can't say...

**Silhouette the SANVAE- **Eek! Don't go insane! And I'm really sorry but you got the answer wrong! It wasn't Scotland... But thanks anyway! I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations!

**Raine20oo- **Sorry! Not Scotland! Kaien's break down was funny... and I like writing Hitsugaya in quickly too!

**GhibliGirl91- **I will so do series 2 when it's out, if it's as awesome as I hope. I can't wait! BLEACH-EYE! Best phrase EVER! Also... Hmmm... IshiTatsuki...? It could happen. I'm not saying Yay or nay yet. The phone charger and the whisk were there, but I don't think I quoted the line about setting yourself on fire when talking to girls... But it's all good.

**Kurou-chan- **Using a phone to review?!?!?! NEWFANGLED INTERNET THING!!! I want... so bad...

**XxdaniXx- **Sorry! It's not London! Haha I love ghosts at the door, they always make life more interesting.

**FionaH93-** NOT BRISTOL YOU FOOL!!! How do you get it wrong? As you said, you live with the Author! Silly Fi. And doing another review after I told you that you were wrong doesn't count.

**DEATHCARNATION- **Yay! I got you on the edge of your seat!!! XD Glad you enjoyed it!!! Hmm... A better goodbye? You want her to go? Lol I kid... kinda... Haha.

**BleachFan4ever- **Ah! Read on! And I LOVE that your favourite bit was a bit I made up when writing! Most of the best bits are original series quotes that I threw in XD

**.- - **Sorry! Scotland was where he was attacked by the werewolf but he was there on holiday! He comes from Leicester! (Bristol was right though... they are in Bristol) Haha yes, the other door was fun to write. Thank you for the review! And as long as you enjoy the story it's fine. (But please review the final chapter when it's up.)

**PhoenixFlameChimera78- **Haha Don't forget to breathe at the end!

**mahappydance- **Hehe here it is! Enjoy!

**Wait a minute... that means...**

**No one won the competition?**

**Scotland was where Ichigo was attacked, but he was on holiday there. It says so.**

**His hometown is LEICESTER!!! (My own hometown! Whoot!)**

**Therefore... the character will be named after... You know what? I'm gonna call him Snugglepopkins.**

**Wait and see!**

_

* * *

_

TWO YEARS EARLIER

_It was nothing really, just a small good deed in the darkness._

_But Fate is always playing a long game._

Gin smirked lazily as his two companions chattered aimlessly

"So the presenter takes this woman, right, and asks people how old they think she is..."

"What on Earth are you talking about?"

"And the age is around 45, 55..."

"It's that show." Gin explained, smilingly. "10 years younger."

"But after the makeover, the woman's there when she asks again..."

"Oh shut up, Kingsley."

"You know what I mean? She's there, and they're saying it to her face so they're not gonna be mean are they?"

"Shut _up_ Kingsley." Gin ordered, and the two others fell silent. "Mitchell will be here soon..." A young waiter picked up their dishes and walked to the counter, leaving them in stunned silence. "No way..." Ichimaru sighed.

"Not seen one of them in a while." Kingsley frowned.

Fred leaned back. "So?"

"So..." Gin smirked. "Let's have a little fun, boys."

They got up and left the cafe quickly.

"Ichigo!" Tessai called. "Take the rubbish out, would you?" The orange haired young man looked up, his eyes shadowed and his face gaunt.

"Sure." He mumbled, and took the bags.

Once outside, he leaned against the wall wearily, ignoring the rat at his feet. Throwing the bin liners into the skip, she pinched the bridge of his nose.

_What the fuck am I doing...?_

"Oi!" He looked up and saw the three men from the cafe striding towards him. "Doggy."

"What...?"

A silver haired man smirked. "Here boy, good dog..."

They surrounded him and he scowled. "What do you want? I've got no money..."

"We don't want your dirty money." Fred smirked, and his dark hair fell across his eyes. "No, Digby... we wanna play."

The two others laughed. Ichigo backed towards the door but the silver haired fox was there already. "What's wrong?" He taunted, pushing Ichigo into one of his friends. "Not in the mood?"

Kingsley punched Ichigo in the gut, winding him.

"Aw, look at that. He's hurt." Gin smirked. "Get him up; see if he's alright..." And he punched Ichigo across the face.

Ichigo raised his fists but the power behind the punches was too much.

"Finish it off boys." Ichimaru smiled, and took a long drag of the cigarette.

Ichigo curled up on the floor as he was kicked and punched relentlessly with strength no human could possess.

"Oi!" A voice cut in. "What do you think you're doing?"

Gin smirked. "Oh, just playing with the new pet, Ishida."

The dark haired man stopped just within the reach of the streetlight, frowning. "Stop it."

The effect was immediate; everyone stepped away from Ichigo as Ishida eyes them all warily.

"Did anyone see you leave the cafe?"

"What?"

"I'm just saying- one of the waiters turns up dead and someone remembers you guys?" Ishida smirked. "I've got no love for Lycos but we need to be careful."

"No one saw." Ichimaru stated, kicking against the dirty pavement in agitation. "It's fine."

"Um..." Kingsley raised his hand. "Actually... I was talking to the owner before you two came... his Gran's just died so I... I gave him our card."

"Our card?" Ichimaru snarled, grabbing Kingsley's coat. "We're not even a real business you cretin!"

"There you go then." Ishida sighed. "You've given us away." He pointed towards the main street. "I'll sort this out you three go back home tonight." He glared at them and moved over to Ichigo, who lay helpless and bloodied on the floor at his feet, and dropped a cotton handkerchief for him.

"They were... going to kill me."

Ishida nodded. "Yes."

"Why?" Ichigo whispered, voice breaking in desperation. "I've never done _anything_... Why would they...?"

"People like us don't like people like you." Ishida stated, watching this strange creature at his feet, so unaware of the world around him.

"Like us?"

"Vampires." Ishida supplied. "We can sense what you are straight away." When Ichigo reached out and took the handkerchief Ishida sighed. "You live near here?"

"I have..." Ichigo spat out some blood. "A flat above the cafe..."

"Yeah..." Ishida mused. "You're going to have to move." He turned away. "Go away, start afresh; they'll come back for you otherwise." He began to walk away when Ichigo made no reply, and had almost left hearing range when Ichigo coughed and sat up.

"Then what?"

The broken and weak voice stopped Ishida in his tracks.

"I've lost... everything because of this... disease I have." Ichigo panted. "I have had to rebuild my life all over again and now... now you're telling me to start over? So I move... and then what?"

The two words hung in the air, pregnant with suspense and demanding an answer.

_Then what?_

Ishida didn't know.

But that meeting, that... spark of nothing in the vast scheme of things started it all.

* * *

_PRESENT DAY_

"GO!"

Rukia began to cry. "If I go, you might die!"

"I'll get him somewhere safe- a hospital, maybe." Ichigo urged, kneeling beside Ishida, who was groaning in pain. "Do I-I take it out or...?"

"Out. Out..." Ishida hissed. "Take it out."

"Oh God." Ichigo grimaced, looking up frantically. "Go! For God's sake!"

"No!" She shouted.

"NOW!"

She ran over and put her hands on either side of the wound, pressing down and meeting Ichigo's eyes over their fallen friend's body. "I'm not leaving."

Ichigo stared at her with a hard expression before sighing. "Thank you." He whispered, and she smiled.

"Take it out. He's not dead yet and the wood must be poisoning him." He nodded.

"Push down and I'll try to stop the bleeding. Then you have to call an ambulance." Ichigo said, and looked up at her.

"An ambulance?" Rukia bit her lip. "But... He's a..."

"Do you have a better idea?!" Ichigo shouted, and pulled the stake out. "I don't care as long as we save his life." He removed his shirt quickly and used it to stem the blood flow. "Call them!"

Rukia dashed to the phone and the ambulance was there within ten minutes. They were stopped from going in the ambulance and instead stood at the doorway together as the sirens wailed.

"Rukia." Ichigo murmured, touching her shoulder. "You have to go."

"I know." She closed her eyes. "I wish..." She trailed off.

Ichigo watched her as she bit her lip, leaning against the doorframe. "You wish what?"

"That I was still alive." She whispered, and Ichigo thought about it. "It's not that... It's not that I wish I was still alive so that I could be with Kaien at all... I wish I'd lived, broken up with him, and leased out this house myself." Her eyes darted towards him but then remained fixed on the ground.

Ichigo was silent, just watching her as she tried to hide her face with the dark hair falling in front of her face.

"And... I wish that you'd both rented the house... but then I'd still probably have never gotten to know either of you like I do now but..." She sighed. "It makes no sense."

"I think I get it." Ichigo sighed. "I'm glad to have met you, but at the same time... I wish you'd not died even if that would mean we never met."

"You think?" Rukia frowned. "I'm not sure." She eyed him critically. "Aren't you cold?"

Ichigo glanced at her. "What do you mean?"

"You're not wearing a shirt."

It took three seconds for Ichigo to blush.

After that he ran upstairs and once dressed led the way to the hospital.

* * *

"The doctors are stumped." Ichigo sighed, running a hand through his hair. "They don't understand how he has no heartbeat. All their machines are worthless on him."

"Wait." Rukia said suddenly, as they sat in Ishida's room. "Does Tatsuki know we're here?"

Ichigo cursed. And turned to go back.

"No." Rukia cut in. "You know him better." She backed from the room. "And travelling is easy on me anyway." And she was gone.

Ichigo closed his eyes and sat down again. "Suck it up, mate." He whispered. "We need you."

Nanao, standing outside the door, clasped her hands and closed her eyes.

* * *

"Oh." Rukia gasped as she materialised in the lounge. "Never travelled that far before like that..."

She bit her lip, and turned around.

Her shoulders fell slightly and she frowned. "Guess I missed my flight." She said, watching the blank stretch of wall with narrowed eyes. "So... What do I do now?"

_Help me..._

Rukia turned sharply. "Who said that?"

_They're coming..._

"Hello?"

_Help..._

"K... Kaien?"

_God no... Help us..._

"Who are you?" Rukia demanded. "Where are you?"

_Oh no..._

_Oh God!_

_Help!_

Rukia put her hands to her head as the voices grew in volume, fighting each other to be heard. "Please..." She whispered. "Stop..."

She curled up on the sofa, hands firmly over her ears.

* * *

"Knock Knock." Ichigo looked up to see a young man dressed in black, immediately suspecting him to be of the undead variety, Ichigo stood and positioned himself between the new arrival and the man in the bed.

"Who are you?" He snarled, and the man held up both hands.

"I-I'm Snugglepopkins." He started. "I'm one of the hospital's clergy..."

Ichigo narrowed his eyes. "... Snugglepopkins?"

"I'm joking." He grinned. "I'm Smith. Roy Smith. _Father_ Roy Smith." He smirked. "I was told to call in and read some prayers...?"

"No thanks. We don't need them."

Roy paused and held his bible to his chest, with his head down. "I was told that I was to come immediately." He said soberly. The two paused and Ichigo sat down.

"That soon?"

"The doctors are confused. They don't anticipate long."

"Well..." Ichigo laughed harshly. "You're no help here; I'm Jewish and he's... complicated." He looked up and sighed.

Roy sat down anyway. "Well some people just need to talk..."

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Whoever's after you... I'm sure that if you dyed your hair they'd leave you alone."

Ichigo scowled. "You didn't just say what I thought you said..."

"Didn't I?" Roy's face was the picture of innocence. "I could've sworn I did."

"You know you're incredibly sarcastic for a priest."

"Yeah I know." He sighed. "And I feel really bad about it but then I- you know, forgive myself." He signed a cross and shrugged.

Ichigo opened his mouth to reply when Ishida grabbed his sleeve, shaking and drenched in cold sweat. Roy stepped back in surprise as Ishida opened his mouth. "They... They're here?"

"You're sure?" Ichigo whispered, bending down so that their faces were level.

"They're... coming..." Ishida closed his eyes and collapsed back into the pillows.

Ichigo met Roy's confused eyes in a panic. "Help me." He said. "Those guys who made Ishida like this... well they're bad news and we need to get him out."

"That's not a great idea." Roy frowned. "Call security or the police..."

"They can't do anything against these guys!" Ichigo growled. "We need to get him out."

Roy sighed, but made no objection when Ichigo unplugged the soundless monitors.

He opened the door and the lights went out.

"What the..."

Ichigo growled. "They're here."

Lit up only by the fire escape signs glowing eerie green, Roy gasped as three men appeared in front of him with black soulless eyes and teeth flashing white in the darkness.

"Oh my God." Roy whispered, and stepped back.

"Say something from the bible!" Ichigo shouted, standing in front of Ishida with determination.

Roy turned desperately. "Like what?!"

"I don't know, I'm Jewish! Anything!"

"Right!" Roy swallowed. "Um... Right."

His voice mellowed and Ichigo watched as silence seemed to envelope them, soft and protecting until the only sound was Roy's voice.

"_When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things..."_

The vampires stopped, and lifted their arms in defence a little, hissing. Roy repeated the phrase with a smile and they turned and stormed away.

As the lights flickered on Roy turned to Ichigo with a vacant smile before collapsing on the floor.

* * *

A short while later, Ishida was able to maintain consciousness and quietly talked to Ichigo, apologising over and over, and wondering aloud how Orihime had been brave enough to ask of him what he could not ask for himself.

"Don't think like that, idiot." Ichigo sighed. "She made a choice. So did you; you decided to live, and struggle..."

"And be Human?"

"And be Human." Ichigo agreed. "Are you saying it's not worth it? What we're doing?"

"I don't know." Ishida sighed. "But it feels worth it."

"Yeah..." Ichigo mused, standing up. "It does."

"Ichigo could I have a moment alone with him?" Nanao smiled at the doorway, pulling along her IV.

Ichigo nodded and turned to Ishida. "I'll see you in a bit, mate. I'll be in the cafeteria."

"Sure." Ishida managed, and smiled weakly as his friend left.

Nanao dithered by the doorway, looking around the sterile white room that Ishida had to himself. "You must be driving the doctors crazy."

"Yeah..."

"How are you recovering?" She asked, taking his hand. "You need sustenance. You're barely better than when you first arrived, and they're going to keep coming."

Ishida frowned. "I know. I've been such a fool..."

"You need to feed."

His eyes snapped to meet her and the open window allowed a gentle breeze to fan the loose strands of dark hair around her face. She smiled gently and he was transported back to their first meeting, when she was just a girl trying to catch his eye, and he was a man finding his way.

"No." He sighed. "Definitely not."

Nanao rubbed his arm comfortingly. "I've not got long. I can feel this body winding down around me, Ishida. I won't see next week anyway... And your friends need you."

Ichigo returned to an empty room.

A Nurse went to awaken the female cancer patient on ward 6, and called a doctor to declare a time of death.

* * *

"So... All better?" Ishida looked up at Aizen and flicked the cigarette butt at him in disdain. Aizen chuckled and trod down the butt. "I never understood why all you children smoke... they'll kill you, you know."

Ishida glared at him before turning and walking away.

"Oh come now... why so cold? You just fed, right? Why do you insist on leaving us so often... It's such a shame that this got to the stage where you gave me no choice..."

"This doesn't involve those guys." Ishida said suddenly, interrupting. "This is between you and me, Aizen. If you kill me... I want your word that you won't go after them."

Aizen's smile faltered, before cooling into a smirk. "You want a duel? How old fashioned Ishida..."

"Your word, Aizen." Ishida snapped. "I will fight you, and if I win, the vampires leave Bristol for good. If I lose..."

"You die."

Ishida nodded. "And you don't touch them. As a favour to remember our friendship." He added. "The point you've got to prove to the clan can be proven by killing me, leave them out of this."

Aizen regarded him coolly before, at length, nodding. "I'll give them 24 hours to leave this city, after that if they're spotted they're fair game." He grinned. "When and where?"

"Tonight. It's got to be tonight."

* * *

Ichigo burst into the house. "I've lost him again." He said, and ran into Ishida's chest.

"Found." Tatsuki chimed in, stretching languidly. "Idiot."

"You're better?" Ichigo asked, eyeing Ishida suspiciously. "Then Nanao...?" When Ishida winced, Tatsuki shot him a glare. "Where's Rukia?" Ichigo quickly supplied. "Did she find you?"

"Here." Rukia smiled, holding a tray with three cups of tea. "Tea?"

"Always." Ichigo smirked, before faltering and glancing over his shoulder at the lounge. "No... Door?"

Rukia shrugged. "No big deal I mean... I get to stay with you guys right?"

The four were silent, and Ishida put his hands in his pockets. "I'm... going to fight Aizen." He started, closing his eyes as the three friends stared at him. "He's going to let you three go in exchange for me."

"No!" Rukia gasped, and Tatsuki suddenly looked more dangerous.

Ichigo seemed lost in thought. "He said that?"

"Ichigo!" Rukia shouted, appalled.

Ichigo raised a hand. "He's going to let us go?"

Aizen nodded. "24 hour head starts to get out of Bristol and after that you've got to lay low."

"But... You'll not win." Rukia stated, voice shaking. "He'll kill you."

Tatsuki's hands curled into fists. "This isn't what Orihime wanted! You have to stop him once and for all!"

"And that's possible." Ishida argued. "It's one on one, fair game."

"It's not." Tatsuki objected. "He feeds regularly on humans... and you..."

"When is it?" Ichigo demanded, and Ishida closed his eyes.

"Tonight."

"Tonight?" Ichigo swore. "But it's a full moon! I can't be there to..."

"That's exactly why." Ishida interrupted, glaring at him. "It's on the roof of the hospital so you can't be there in case you hurt an innocent." He smirked "I've thought it all out."

There was a silence, and as two wills battled, Ichigo seemed to deflate, and sat down.

"I think it's a good idea." Ichigo finally sighed and the other three stared at him. "He's giving us a chance... To be normal..."

"By giving his life!" Rukia seethed, kicking him hard so that he fell to the ground.

"No." Ishida stopped her. "This is good. This is what I'm doing... It's my choice."

"He doesn't have to go along with it! Ichigo! Don't let him do this!" Rukia begged, clutching onto Ishida's arm.

Ichigo stood up slowly and met Ishida's eyes with his own solemn and curiously emotionless ones. "Out of us three... I'm the only one with a shot at normal life. Tatsuki too... we could move, forget all about vampires and... I don't know... start afresh?"

Ishida nodded. "You'll take Rukia with you."

"Of course..."

"No!" Rukia objected, seeing Tatsuki waver. "_No_ Ichigo!"

Ichigo ignored her. "But... first can I ask Aizen to reconsider?" He said in a low voice. "Maybe if..."

"He won't change his mind."

"But I've got to try." Ishida sighed and Ichigo put a hand on his shoulder, taking his coat from the stand at opening the door. "Ishida..."

"Yeah?"

Ichigo paused, his back to all three of them. "Do you remember when we first met? You saved me and I asked you... "Then what?" when you told me to move?"

"Yeah..." Ishida smiled.

"I guess this is it."

"Ichigo..." The orange haired man stepped from the house. "Thank you for understanding."

Ichigo turned to look at Rukia, who resolutely avoided his eyes. "One day... You'll understand why I'm doing this." He promised, and disappeared.

Tatsuki was eventually persuaded to pack her bags and leave that afternoon, on the basis that there was very little for her now in Bristol, and it wasn't her fight.

Rukia sat sullenly in the kitchen and refused to look up from the cold cup of tea she'd meant for Ichigo.

* * *

Pink and orange shapes danced over the pews as Roy began to clear up for the day. Thoughts of the previous night had haunted him in his every sleeping and waking moment, and as he adjusted the dog collar around his throat, he reflected on how extraordinarily strange everything had become.

The sound of footsteps made him look up in surprise.

"Ichigo!" Roy exclaimed as the orange haired man approached him. "What are you doing in the hospital chapel?"

"I'd... quite like some guidance actually." Ichigo sighed, and sat down. "What was that phrase from the Bible you said before? About children?" His eyes were weary, and his face shadowed. Roy's heart went out to him.

The young priest sat down across from him and clasped his hands. "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 1 Corinthians 13:11."

"Yeah." Ichigo bowed his head. "I haven't been able to get it out of my mind..." He eyed Roy in defeat. "What does it mean?"

"Different things to different people..."

"To you?"

Roy sighed, and closed his eyes as though in pain. "To me, now... That the world isn't as I knew it... That there are things beyond what I knew before last night, and that I only know the tiniest part of reality." He paused. "What does it mean for you?"

Ichigo gritted his teeth. "That it's time for me... to grow up."

As he stood up, Roy grasped his arm. "Ichigo... those... men last night..."

"They were just men. Bad men..." Ichigo removed his hand with a dry smile. "Don't let go of your reality just yet, father."

When Ichigo arrived at the funeral parlour, he was greeted by Aizen himself in the waiting room. "Come to beg for your friend's life?" He sneered. "Or has Ishida given up and left his dog to pass on the message?"

Ichigo frowned. "You really won't reconsider?" He challenged, and when Aizen merely supplied an amused smirk his shoulders fell. "Fine. But Ishida wants me to tell you something..."

* * *

The sun was beginning to set as Rukia sat at the window and watched Ishida leave the house for the last time.

_Help..._

"Who's there?" She demanded.

_HELP!_

"Ah!" Rukia turned at the sound and met the eyes of a young man in tattered clothes and with matted dark hair. "Where am I?" He asked in a hurried whisper. "Where are they?"

Rukia stood slowly. "You're... you're a ghost." She watched as the young man glanced at her, dark eyes stark in contrast with his pale skin.

_Did I ever look like that? _She wondered briefly.

"Why're you here? Do you know how you died?" The young man glanced around the room nervously. "I'm not going to hurt you..." She tried to make her voice gentle and coaxing.

"I'm... Ulquiorra." He whispered.

"Good." She smiled. "How did you..."

"They were so... frenzied." Ulquiorra swallowed. "It was like something had got them more worked up than usual; they were so careless and vicious..." He held a hand to his throat and Rukia noticed for the first time that his neck was sliced on either side and his arm was patterned with bites.

Rukia paused. "Can you take me to the others?"

* * *

**This was SO not my best chapter... a bit jumpy, right?**

**But next chapter will be the finale! (For now...) So REVIEW WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT!**


	13. I Became a Man

**Extremely sorry for the wait guys! I started university and before I knew it assignments were due and everything went mad! I'm sorry for the wait, but those of you in the Great Brit will have heard of (or seen) the start of the new series of Being Human! Therefore... I think the finale of this series is due, right? Well buckle your seatbelts kiddies cause I have no idea how this'll turn out ;)  
Also, I know you might have to re-read the story to remember it after so long, (three months!!!) but I really appreciate your undying support.  
Well at this moment I have exactly 100 reviews :D let's go for 50 reviews this chapter! (ambitious Rin-chan...) Anyway, thanks to the reviewers of last chapter, and GOMEN for keeping you waiting so long.**

**Kurou-chan- It's about to get all active!**

**Silhouette The SANVAE- Last chapter was a bit (lot) manic, but everything (almost) gets resolved this time!**

**XxdaniXx- Religious differences make for interesting bedside chitchat :) Glad you liked it.  
**

**DEATHCARNATION- Haha thanks but it's a shame it was so rushed. Not this one though. No way.  
**

**GhibliGirl91- THE NEW SERIES! I'm loving it, you watching? I may have to continue this beyond the call of series one...  
**

**phoenixflamechimera78- Ulquiorra's appearance is brief, but loved :P we all miss him.  
**

**BleachFan4ever- Not a soon update at all, but it got here, and it's not bad.  
**

**mahappydance- I'm so glad it made an impression, but you'll be glad (maybe) to know I plan to go on to series 2, which was aired last week!  
**

**Jigoku-HI- Loves you too! keep on reading!  
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*****AND A SPECIAL SHOUTOUT TO MY TWITTERHOMIE crazyindividual FOR THE EXTRA SUPPORT! THIS IS FOR YOU!*****

* * *

Ulquiorra led Rukia through the dimly lit streets of Bristol city centre, winding through an all-too familiar route, regularly glancing over his shoulder to reassure himself of her presence. Rukia felt dread pool in her stomach (do ghosts have stomachs?) as she turned the final corner and Ulquiorra paused, leaning against the alley wall tiredly.

"Here..."

"Yeah." Rukia murmured. "Of course it would be here." She smiled grimly at the pale young man. He clutched the wall weakly, legs shaking and Rukia touched his shoulder. "You're fine; they can't hurt you anymore." She nodded once to reassure him and led the way through the funeral parlour door.

There was only a receptionist and a guard in the front room when they entered. The guard paused in surprise before darting forwards in attack, fangs bared. Rukia glared at him and with a sudden burst of pressure he was pinned to the floor. Rukia directed her attention at the receptionist- a slight dark haired girl in a black dress, and the girl was found pinned to the desk by an unseen force.

"Bitch..." The girl growled, glaring up at Rukia ferociously. "How dare you..."

Rukia smirked proudly as she breezed past the two incapacitated vampires, leading Ulquiorra to the next room before turning and motioning for him to lead her to the cell. When the door opened, Rukia saw two vampires strapping a young woman to a chair in the centre of the room, with two dishes either side of her arms. The chair was dark and patchy, and the whole room stank of iron.

"What are you doing here?" One of the vampires hissed, releasing the girl and advancing on Rukia with his arms outstretched. In the blink of an eye, the two toothy ones were pinned respectively to the wall and the floor. Rukia turned blank, violet eyes on the other occupants of the room and quelled a sudden wave of nausea (wow, just getting all the human benefits right now, huh?) as she stepped aside and lifted a hand to the girl in the chair.

Shakily, the blue haired girl touched her fingers to Rukia's and gasped. "You're cold... like them."

"I'm not like them." Rukia hissed. "But you need to hurry." She coaxed the girl up and pushed her towards the door. The girl glanced back once, before checking outside the door and running out of the room.

Once she'd gone, the others were quick to leave, abandoning various rags and scraps around them and running from the cold dark cell. As they fled, some smiled gratefully at her, most just rushed out of that place as fast as possible. Eventually it was only Rukia and Ulquiorra in the room.

"They didn't see me." He said softly, walking to the centre of the room and looking at a bloody body tossed in a corner.  
Rukia remained at the door, awkward and unsure what to say.

"That's me." He said, needlessly, pointing at the corpse crumpled against the wall and covered reverently with a small yellow blanket. The juxtaposition of the treatment of the body was a testament to how the vampires thought of the humans, and of how the humans would do such small, considerate things in the darkest of times.

Rukia's attention, however, snapped away from the body and she breathed a shaky sigh. "Ulquiorra." She whispered, and silence filled the room as he saw what she was looking at.

Instinctively, he stepped towards it, and glanced back. "It's not for you?" She shook her head mutely, tears pooling at the pressure that held her back. The dark young man touched the door tenderly, reverently. His ghost white hands caressed the incongruous white PVC door which should be anywhere but the dark old cellar of a funeral parlour.

_My door must have been different to Renji's too. I didn't notice._

And with the door there, Ulquiorra's eyes seemed unable to move away, the prospect of after was too overwhelming to notice small things like the smear of grass stains at the base of the door, and the muddy child's footprint at the side.

_I wonder if it was once another door, maybe each door is designed to be the most appealing to the individual. Renji and I were looking for something otherworldly...  
_

_Ulquiorra just wants to go home._

She closed her eyes and gasped as he opened the door, not allowing herself to see it.

When the warmth had gone -she'd not even noticed it there until it was gone- she opened her eyes and blinked dazed, then determined.

She had to stop Ishida.

Ichigo could run away if he wanted, that was fine. She held no grudge against him for wanting to grab the oppurtunity to live a normal life. But she couldn't, so she had to throw herself into this life with everything she had.

Starting with saving her friend.

She meant to stride straight past the vampires at reception, but the young girl started to laugh as she passed her, and Rukia couldn't hold back a swift slap across the face.

"You can't fight Aizen." The girl chuckled, smirking through her already swelling cheek.

"Momo!" the guard hissed, but the girl proceeded as though she'd not heard him.

"He's going to make your bloodsucking friend wish that he'd just locked himself in that cellar and never come out!"

Rukia paused, eyes widening as her mind raced over the words of the receptionist. "...What?"

"Nice change of scene from the roof, right? No one to see him when he is forced to bow to Aizen!"

"What... cellar?" Rukia asked, stepping closer to Momo. "What change of scene?"

* * *

Looking over the edge of the roof, Ishida swallowed bile as he watched Aizen stride confidently into the hospital entrance, dressed not as a policeman, but in a white shirt and black trousers, his glasses removed and his hair slicked back. Ishida pulled away from the roof and forced himself to breathe evenly.

Ichigo, Rukia, Tatsuki... you're all going to be okay.

His dead heart was quickening, and he could hear the cables of the lift churning as Aizen rose through the floors for their final battle.  
He readied himself to attack as the lift stopped moving.

"Ishida!" Instead of the tall vampire he'd expected, Rukia materialized in front of him. "We were wrong!" She stood at the roof door and for the first time Ishida realised that the lift hadn't risen as he'd assumed, but that Aizen was getting off at the lowest level of the hospital.

"What's going on?"

* * *

"So." Aizen smiled genially, smoothly gliding into the dark windowless room. "Do you want to get this over with quickly or- oh it's you." He smiled coolly. "What a surprise."

Ichigo slammed the heavy metal door shut behind Aizen and turned the wheel to lock the door in place, straining against the rust and misuse of years gone by. "This is an old part of the hospital. We won't be disturbed here." He said grimly, turning to face the vampire with a glare. "I'm your opponent, and you won't dare to touch my friends."

Aizen blinked, and then smiled passively. "Well now, those are big words. What happened to the whimpering little puppy Gin tormented in the alley behind a cafe... how long ago?" Ichigo didn't answer, and Aizen sighed, leaning against a damp stone wall in amusement. "Unfortunately, you've not really thought his through, Fido."

"How's that? Ichigo snarled.

"Well look at you. You go all rabid once a month and you think that puts you on the same level as me?" Aizen stretched out his neck muscles, and an audible click resounded through the empty cell. His eyes turned pitch black and he smiled, revealing lengthened, sharp fangs. "You could never compare."

* * *

"Ishida! Rukia!" the two turned to see Tatsuki running towards them as they rushed through reception. "What's going on? Where's Aizen?"

"Tatsuki, I know this is hard but you have to wait here." Ishida emphasised, gripping Tatsuki's upper arms. "We've dragged you into this enough and it's time to cut your losses."

"What?" Tatsuki growled. "How dare you..."

"Rukia will stay with you."

"I'll do no such thing." Rukia snapped, stepping back towards the stairs leading down to the lower levels. "This is Ichigo we're talking about."

"The full moon is about to rise!" Ishida hissed. "You don't want to see that again do you?"

Rukia paused, and in one swift motion took hold of Ishida's collar and pulled him close to her face. "I will not leave him, you understand?"

"Me too." Tatsuki stated, although her knees were shaking. "Whatever the idiot's gotten himself into he needs us there." Ishida threw his head back in despair, but quickly decided that time was of the essence. "Whatever you see down there... it's not Ichigo." He stated,

meeting Rukia's eyes for a long moment before leading the way down the stairs.

The girls nodded solemnly and they followed without another word.

* * *

THUD. Ichigo was thrown to the floor and groaned as he felt a rib crack painfully, suspended in place by muscle alone. Aizen chuckled lightly and lifted up the bruised young man so that their faces were an inch apart.

"I should remind Ishida to take better care of his pets. This is almost cruelty." He sighed regretfully as he tossed Ichigo against a wall, closing his eyes with a smile at the sound of two more unknown bones breaking.

Ichigo crawled onto all fours and remained still, panting roughly. "Well maybe you should contribute... about £2 a month?"  
Aizen blinked, and Ichigo smirked.

"Our resident ghost goes through teabags like the devil herself. The £2 should cover any dehydration of the pets."

Aizen threw back his head and laughed freely. "You're no RSPCA appeal, Fido." He leaned close. "Your face isn't cute enough for the adverts." Standing up, he began to speak but was cut off by the slamming of two bodies against the pother side of the metal door.

Ichigo looked up in horror to see Rukia standing inside the door, eyes fixed on him in teary determination. "No..." Ichigo whispered, but Rukia turned the bolt and opened the door.

"Oh look at this..." Aizen mused, spreading his arms. "The gang's all here! Oh..." He smiled knowingly. "Except a pretty redhead I thought you knew...?

"Bastard..." Tatsuki growled, and Ishida held her back as her hands curled into fists.

"Oh dear." Aizen frowned pitifully. "Did I upset someone?"

"Ishida..." Ichigo growled. "Get out of here."

"No." Rukia answered for him, and glared at the broken werewolf on the ground. "Don't you dare suggest that we leave you to die."

Aizen clapped his hands twice, beaming at the four with unabashed happiness. "So Ishida! I've been wondering..." He pointed between the three housemates and winked conspiratorially. "You three... what are you doing? A vampire, a Werewolf and a Ghost all move into a house in Bristol."

Ishida watched him warily, still holding onto Tatsuki, who stepped back from Aizen instinctively at the change of topic.

"They try to live together... pay rent, get jobs, buy a TV license... and then what?" Piercing brown eyes fixed on each face seriously for a second longer than was comfortable. "They try to blend in and become human." he laughed shortly, and shook his head. "But then they realize humanity's dirty little secret... that it is filthy, and imperfect, and no matter how hard they try the thirst for blood will be too strong..." He met Ishida's eyes. "... The need for warmth can never be sated..." He flickered his gaze to Rukia, smiling. "... And the call of the wild is just inescapable." His eyes came to rest on Ichigo, and he spread his hands apologetically. "It's almost poetic."

"Ishida." The vampire's eyes flickered to Ichigo. "This is something I need to do." His eyes met those of his friend and burned in their resolve, the intense gaze broken only by the cracking of bones and Ichigo's own screams.

"Ichigo!" Rukia shouted, running forwards, but Ishida threw Tatsuki aside, running to stop Rukia, and Ichigo grabbed Rukia's slender wrist.

"Rukia! He's changing, get out of there!" Ishida ran forwards and caught Rukia as Ichigo threw her away from himself, tearing Tatsuki's sleeve and crying out in agony as his body underwent the changes,

"You're a fool." Aizen smiled. "You're going to fight me alone, with no weapon, because it's something you need to do? Pathetic dog."

"Don't you... understand it yet?" Ichigo panted, struggling upright as his fingernails lengthened and his jowls became difficult to talk through. "I... am... the weapon."

Aizen's eyes fixed on his and the door to the cell slammed shut.

* * *

"The screaming's stopped." Rukia whispered, and looked up at Ishida, who was sat with Tatsuki against the wall beside the door. Ishida nodded once, silently and they all listened to the animal growls coming from within. Rukia stood up shakily and slowly moved to the door, touching it with one hand and guiding her way to the eyehole just in her reach.

"Rukia... you don't want to see..." Ishida stopped, but Rukia understood perfectly.

_You don't want to see what he's done._

"Ichigo..." She whispered, eyes closed, and lifted herself onto tiptoe to look through the hole in the door.

The massive beast was crouched in the corner, chewing on bloody remains.

"Why didn't Aizen turn to dust?" She whispered, and Ishida rubbed his forehead tiredly.

"I think it has to do with the way he died... a Werewolf attack is very different to a stake through the heart..."

At the sound of their voices, the tan man-wolf twitched an ear and turned slowly to look at the door. It's bloodied claws scraped the concrete floor as it made it's way slowly, menacingly to the door. Unable to speak, Rukia simply watched at the monster heaved itself onto it's hind legs and placed long-taloned claws on either side of the door, drawing itself to seven feet of lean muscle and instinct.

Then it lowered one eye to the other side of the eyehole, and met Rukia's in an unblinking stare.

At that moment, Rukia saw Ichigo in those eyes, and the enormity of the realisation made her gasp and tremble against the door.

Ichigo consoled himself with the insistence that the wolf was no part of him, but in those fiery amber eyes was something deeper. Ichigo was in the wolf, and the wolf was in Ichigo. As hard as it was to accept, the beast shared his mind.

The vivid, determined eye blinked once, sadly, and the wolf seemed to curl into itself. It... no, he crawled away from the door, refusing to look back at Rukia, and began to feed, though with less enthusiasm than before.

"...Rukia?" She blinked, and looked at Tatsuki, who put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently.

It was only then that she realised she was crying.

* * *

"Damn it!" Ishida shouted, "Who left their bloody mug on the stairs?!" He swept into the kitchen and brandished the empty mug at the three gathered at the table. "I could've burned myself!"

"Relax, Dracula." Tatsuki smirked, glancing at him in amusement. "It's not like it would seriously hurt you."

"Even so!"

"Calm down." Rukia sighed, turning around and smiling sweetly. "Anybody want some tea?"

"And always with the bloody tea!" Ishida threw his hands up into the air and glared at the girl's back. "You make so much tea and never drink any of it!"

"It's my routine." She sighed, distractedly stirring a cold cup of tea. "I always make tea."

"But... you... don't... drink it!"

Rukia turned and placed the cup in his hand. "But you do."

"I get the feeling they've argued like this before." Tatsuki smirked, and Ichigo grinned lazily.

"Yeah."

Excusing herself quietly, Tatsuki got up and headed to the bathroom, raising her eyebrows at her new friends as she left.

"You make too much tea for me to drink, and then when I want tea, I can't make it caused you've used all the bloody teabags!" Ishida fumed, and sat down heavily.

Rukia sat with the others at the table and they all fell silent momentarily, just looking at each other. "Is that it then?" She asked quietly, meeting Ichigo's eyes before looking down again. "Are we safe now?"

Ishida was quiet for a moment, contemplating the question. "Aizen's defeat will have created a power vacuum... it's likely that more vampires will try to take his place." They exchanged weary glances before Ichigo sighed.

"They probably have no interest in you though... Aizen only wanted you because you were friends. We should be relatively fine... especially after I killed Aizen myself." Ishida smirked, and Ichigo frowned. "What?"

"Nothing." Ishida smiled. "It's just... you're referring to the wolf in the first person. That's the first time you've done that."

"Yeah... well..." Ichigo trailed off, unsure how to continue. Rukia touched his hand lightly and met his eyes.

"It's wonderful." She said, and smirked. "But that's the first and last time I'll say something that gushy."

"Yeah right... I bet you're a little crybaby underneath all that snobbery aren't you?" He grinned and Rukia's eyes sparked ferociously.

Ishida smiled into his tea as his two housemates bickered. With the atmosphere like this... it was completely natural to feel safe, and brave, and as though the world could do what it liked because they'd manage.

Life seemed pretty damned bearable, and he found himself laughing softly to himself.

Things were finally looking up.

* * *

Gasping, Tatsuki pulled her sleeve away from her arm and lifted it to the mirror, breathing heavily as she took in the three long grooves carved into her arm.

She fell against the bathtub, and began to sob.

* * *

**And that's the End of Being Human so far! What a cliffie! I will probably continue it, but do you guys think I should make it a seperate story or continue it here? It's entirely your choice! (For now, this story status will be complete.)  
**

**Thanks for all the support, I'd have never even gotten past chapter three without the amazing response from all of you, and I love you to bits.**

**Please review! And (sniff) aw man I'll miss you guys!**

**xxx Rin-chan out! xxx  
**


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